Where Chains Will Never Bind You
by Jessie Brooke
Summary: An ugly orphan, a stable boy, a forgotten child, and a boy who was slave to fate. What could they possibly do to break free? This is a story never told, through their eyes, as they saw it. This is the story of the founders four.
1. The Last Days

"Good morning, lovies! Wake up and greet the morning!" called my mother's voice cheerfully from downstairs in the kitchen. She was banging the ladle against a frying pan, trying to get all her children up at once. All six of her children. We were three sets of twins, actually. The neighbors thought that it was queer to have three sets of twins. And we all seemed to live past infancy, which was not very common either.

But in all honesty; they didn't know the half of it. Sometimes I caught my father holding a wooden stick, and muttering exotic things that I didn't understand. My mother did the same thing, but only on her cooking. And this strange and unusual thing that my parents practiced was called magic. At least, that was what my big sister, Gunda said. She could be lying after all; she was eight and enjoyed telling stories. Just yesterday she told me she had made a spoon disappear. Ten seconds later it landed on my head. I didn't believe her for beans.

"Helga, tell Mother I don't want to get up," moaned my sister Brigitta, half asleep and turning over in her bed. My sister was six, like me, but didn't have half the energy that I did. I grinned mischievously. A plan was already forming in my head. It wouldn't hurt anybody, but it would definitely spice up the usually dull mornings.

"I'll do it Brigitta, don't you worry!" I chirped back, and I hopped down the stairs, my yellow curls bouncing with me. It wasn't long before I smelled the sweet scent of my mother's cooking. I wondered how sleep could hold Brigitta back from this.

"Helga, why are you still wearing your night things?" my mothered asked. She hadn't even looked away from her cooking, she just, well knew. It was always sort of chilling the way she just seemed to know things.

But I was a quick thinker, and I was especially good at making up stories, "Mother, Brigitta's throat is dry and she is coughing. She asked that I bring her water, as icy as possible." My mother stared at me for a moment, as if she was trying to look into my thoughts to see if I were telling the truth. I gave a small smile. I think she might have guess what I was up to, but my sister Korinna did not. She was eight, Gunda's twin and polar opposite. Korinna was a rule abiding girl who was always proper and already very motherly.

"Here you are Helga," she said, handing me a mug filled with cold water, and went back to preparing the table for breakfast. I stared for a moment, wondering what pleasure a person could possibly get from setting the table, and ran back up with the mug. By the time I got up to the room I shared with Brigitta, half the water had spilled out on the way.

I walked up stealthily to her bed, ready to pour it on her. And I was just about to do it too, when lazily she opened her eyes to stare at me, and sat up in bed.

"Helga? What are you doing?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. I still could have poured the water on her and ran, I suppose, but I couldn't. I told myself it was because she was awake, and that took away half the fun. But I knew in my heart it was because it was mean to do to your sister, even if it was fun. Sighing I put the mug in her hands. Confound my conscience and its meddling ways!

I ran back down the stairs, now wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a plain brown jumper. My sister followed, wearing the same thing. We were almost impossible to identify, except to our family.

"Good, you're all up," said Mother, looking at the table approvingly. All of us were here, save my big brother Menno who was in his teen years, Gunda, and Father. They went to meetings at night, somewhere in our valley that I did not know. I don't know what they did, or why they went, either. Gunda wouldn't say, and Father said he'd tell me when I was older. I hardly ever spoke to Menno because he was always out with his friends when not with Father and Gunda.

"Mother, can we eat yet?" asked Brigitta impatiently. Her petite size, pale skin, and big blue eyes would have made anyone do anything she wanted, but not Mother. Mother always seemed to see past her whining and adorability.

"Shush, Brigi don't whine like that," scolded Korinna from across the table. I began to fidget in my seat; I drew in the dirt floor with my barefoot funny pictures of my family. Helmfried (twin of Menno) looked down and tried hard not to laugh. I grinned, Helmfried might be eight years older than I was, but he was my very best friend.

"It's alright Korinna," said Mother, than tried to occupy our waiting time with conversation, "so Brigitta, I trust you woke with a _cold_ start this morning." I raised my eyebrows. So my mother had known!

"What do you mean? Oh, the water, yes, I wasn't thirsty yet when Helga gave it to me, so I watered the plants with it," said Brigitta stupidly. She watered the plants? Honestly, even I could come up with more creative things to do with a mug of water. I already had come up with interesting things, anyway.

Mother raised her eyebrow at the both of us, but said nothing. I was definitely in a very uncomfortable decision.

"We're home," my father's voice rang like a bell. Thank goodness he had come, it had distracted my mother from her creepy questioning. We all ran to greet my father, Gunda, and Menno. Well, I only greeted my father. I wasn't on the best of terms with the other two.

"Can we eat now?" asked little Brigitta softly. My father laughed. I loved the way he laughed, the way his whole face was consumed with the smile. It made me smile too.

"My, my Brigi, you have a big appetite for one so small. But yes, we can eat now," he said, picking her up in one arm and me in the other. He turned to me and asked, "How are you my little Helga? Have you gotten into any trouble yet?"

"Don't encourage her Alex!" my mother exclaimed, but she was smiling. My mother could never yell at Father, they just loved each other too much and were too happy in each other's company. I hoped that when I grew up, I would have someone to love and be happy and laugh with too. I never wanted my life to change, I liked things the way they were.

"Let the girl have some fun, woman," my father said jokingly to my mother, "so? Has anything interesting happened when I was gone. Anything you can't explain?" He looked serious about it, though he asked the question with a light heart. He asked the same question everyday, and I didn't understand why. I shook my head, no at him.

"I see," he said, and he sound disappointed. I hated to make my Father disappointed; he was one of the best people I knew. I lowered my head in shame. "Don't be sad Helga; it will come to you in time." Another one of his cryptic messages. What was he talking about? I didn't get a chance to ask, as we all sat around the table and began to pile food on our plates, eating it with our hands. We used to have these fork things, but we had to sell them because we needed to eat. We didn't have a lot of money, our family, but we always seemed to manage.

After breakfast, Korinna and Mother began to clean. Helmfried said he had to tend to the garden, and Menno had to go sleep, he was tired from spending the night wherever he was with Father and Gunda. Brigitta said she wasn't feeling well, and went back to our bedroom for a nap.

"So, my gentle ladies, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the market?" he asked Gunda and me.

"I would, Father!" I jumped up from my seat eagerly. I ended up falling from the chair, onto my face. Gunda laughed at me. Then she helped me up, and asked if I was alright. Gunda was weird like that.

"Alex, you and Gunda should rest! You were out for most of the night, after all," said my mother. She was always concerned with our health more than anything, caring less about what we were thinking and more about if we were constipated.

"I have to go down to the market to buy us some supplies anyway. Besides, we haven't gone to town in more than a week. The neighbors might get suspicious," said Father. I wondered why he cared if the neighbors got suspicious. It wasn't there business to know what we did every moment of our lives. Although, someone should tell the neighbors that too, because whenever we went down to market, I felt like somebody's eyes were watching my every move, just waiting for me to falter. I told Gunda once, and she said I was paranoid.

But today, I found I had reason to be paranoid after all.

The market was a very dirty place, filled with very dirty people. Of course, I shouldn't be talking, I wasn't very clean myself. But I was fairly clean, compared to some of the people who walked around with an unbearable stench. It was believed that keeping a healthy coat of dirt around your body would keep the sicknesses from entering your body, but I thought it was a crazy idea. I don't think I was alone either. In Britain, I had heard there was a law that you must bathe at least twice a year. Not that it could be easily enforced. Ah- you have discovered another one of my bad traits, I tend to ramble.

I was alone in the crowd. Father had hurried off to see his friend, Johann and talk in private about important things. He had left Gunda in charge of me. I don't think that Father understood what a poor decision he had made. Within five seconds of his departure, Gunda was off with one of her friends. So what was a small, chubby, little girl with unruly yellow curls to do when she was lost in a crowd of people much bigger and much smellier than her? Explore, of course! I looked around all the carts, each with an owner, screaming out advertisements for whatever they were selling.

It was then that I bumped into Kuno. And by bumped, I mean literally. I fell into the mud then too. He saw me, and so did his friends. They were at least a year older and all much bigger than me, and they laughed.

"Little witch spawn fell in the mud? You should stay there!" he said maliciously, and spat. His spit fell onto my cheek. I brushed it off, and stood up.

"You gonna fight little witchling?" taunted one of his groupies. I fought within myself to hold my temper. I wanted to punch them all out so badly. But I knew Father didn't approve to violence, he said it was not the answer.

"Go away," I muttered, even though I knew that wouldn't help. They laughed at me again.

"Oh, look, the little witch is going to curse us!" Kuno and his friends were in hysterics. The anger was building up inside of me, yearning to get out of my chest and to be thrown off as punches at the boys. But I remembered I was weak, and I would probably hurt myself more than anyone else.

But how dare they call my parents witches! I knew what witches were of course, they were people who did evil things and hurt innocent children and used them for their potions. But my parents weren't witches; they were the kindest people I knew. They might say strange things, and have mysterious habits, but I couldn't see them being witches. But then, Gunda had said they used magic, didn't witches use magic too? I was lost in my thoughts, my confusion. So lost, I didn't realize I was knocked down to the ground again, back into the mud.

I got up again. I knew I could not fight them, and I couldn't speak, because words made them taunt me even more. But I would not give them the pleasure of letting them know that they had a full victory over me.

Kuno reached out at me with one of his big grizzly hands, and pulled me close to him so that I could smell his rancid breathe and see every spec of dirt on his pale face and in his pale hair.

"They're going to burn them, little witchling, every last one of them," he said in a deathly whisper. I felt my heart racing.

"I don't know what you mean," I said quietly, but that was only a half-truth. I didn't know who he was talking about, but I did know what he meant, and that was bad too. He was talking about burning witches at the stake. They did that in public, and I had seen a burning once. No one should have to go through that, no matter what crime they had committed. A burning was just as bad or worse as the crime.

"Don't lie to me witchling! My father and a few other good Christian members of this village found you out. They saw who was there at that- that witches circle they have at night, every night- that dastardly deed. They're going to burn everyone of them when they get there tonight," he laughed again. I coughed, his bad breath and body odor were overwhelming, and I could barely breathe.

"Don't cough your little sinful breath on me!" he said, disgustedly. If anyone should be disgusted, it should be me. He smelled worse than a rat!

"Remember, witch-brat. They're going to burn you're daddy, then your brother and your sister, and then-" he was interrupted by the entrance of my sister and her friends (all of them from families that were also considered "weird" like us) into the scene. There was about the same amount of them as there were of Kuno and friends, and Gunda's friends were the same size as Kuno's. So, he had lost the small and alone card.

"Kuno," Gunda addressed him coolly, leading her band of friends over to us. Each of them wore matching faces of resentment as they stared at him. Some looked angry, some looked somber, and some even looked scared.

"Gunda," Kuno nodded, his grip tightening on my forearm. I tried to shake his grip off, but it didn't help. I was a little weakling, and he was built to hurt people.

"Would you mind releasing my sister, Kuno? I don't want her catching that disgusting stench of yours," my sister raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. I heard knuckles cracking behind me, just waiting to punch out my sister's face. I hoped that they wouldn't all get in a fight over me. I was just little Helga, after all, nothing special.

"So, Gunda, Gunda's friends," said Kuno, who clearly didn't plan on answering the question, "how's the Devil been lately?" Gunda's eyes narrowed and another boy looked ready to kill. In fact, I think he was, as he walked over to Kuno and me.

"How dare you," he yelled angry, "make such false accusations? None of us have been consorting with the Devil, and how dare you tell such lies. If anything, it is you who is with the Devil." However, Kuno and company seemed unabashed.

"What you gonna do about it? Use your magic on me? We both know very well that even if you were to think about it you'd be hanged," taunted Kuno. He brought me closer to him, so that now I had no fresh air out all. I stepped on his foot hard, or at least, as hard as I possibly could. He winced, but I was still stuck.

"Yeah, yeah, what you gonna do about it?" added a small rat-faced boy excitedly. The others turned to him giving him what I call a Kuno-is-in-charge-not-you look.

"Shut up, Arnie," growled Kuno. Arnie the rat-boy flinched and backed into the group of other boys again. Gunda and her friends smirked. And somehow, out of nowhere, I felt a strange pull. Something was dragging me out of Kuno's grip, and I fell into the angry boy yelling at Kuno. He helped me up, and sent me to stand by my sister.

"You- you- you just," started Kuno, speechless.

"Very good Kuno, you're learning to form sentences," said Gunda sarcastically. The others all laughed in support of her joke, but I didn't. It was mean, and it made me feel the same as Kuno and his smelly friends.

"You used magic on her!" accused Kuno, "If I tell my father he'll-"

"He won't give a dime because we used it on one of our own," angry boy rolled his eyes, then turned to the rest of us, "we've no use of this waste of air and space. Let's go everyone." And the whole herd of them (including me, of course) walked off.

"Gunda, Gunda, Kuno said that- he said that his daddy-his daddy is gonna burn you!" I said, fumbling over my words. I noticed that everywhere this group went, people were watching, waiting. Always prepared to lift the accusing finger, ready to point out the witches among them.

"Kuno's stupid," she said, brushing off my words like she had heard them a million times, "don't listen to him."

"But-But, shouldn't I tell father?" I asked eagerly. Maybe I could stop this from happening, maybe I can save my father and siblings!

"Don't pay any attention to him kid, really, don't bother your father with such trivial things," said "Angry Boy" as I had just decided to call him. And I listened to him. When my father met my sister and I and took us home, I didn't say a word. At dinner, I didn't say a word. When I took a last glance at Father, Gunda, Brigitta, and the rest of the family before going up to bed, I didn't say a word. When my parents came in to kiss me goodnight, I said nothing. As I watched my father and siblings leave the house for one of the mysterious meetings from my bedroom window, I said nothing.

When Menno came running back, saying that the meeting had been ambushed, I listened, and I said nothing.

And when they came to our house, with their torches and their angry calls, I ran, but I said nothing.

And the very next day, when I returned to what was left of my home, once filled with so much laughter and bliss, I said nothing.

From afar I watched them bury the carcasses of my family, one by one. And then they buried a few other families as well, almost every one of Gunda's friends, even "Angry Boy."

I watched with wide eyes and closed lips. I wanted to scream out, to lament their deaths, but I was too afraid that if I were heard, I would meet my death too.

AndI said nothing.


	2. Journey to England

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped and opened my mouth to scream, but I couldn't. A person put their large hand over my small mouth. Another hand was put on my shoulder and turned me around, away from where I stood on the cliff, looking down as the bodies were buried. I turned around to see a very large man, tall and broad. He had dark hair and a thick beard and dark eyes. My heart stopped. This was the end. It had to be. But, he was leading me up the cliff, away from those in the valley below. I was confused, very confused. Who was this stranger? What was going on?

I was led into the forest, deeper than I had ever been before. We walked for twenty minutes before we came to a clearing; his hand still had a firm grip on my shoulder, and over my mouth. In the clearing there was a small encampment set up. There were already two people there; one seemed to be doctoring the other. Two blonde people there. And one of them was my brother.

"Helmfried!" I cried out and the bearded man let go of me, letting me run to him. Helmfried's name was the first thing I had said in a day. The other blonde man was bandaging his arm and both sat on the ground. Helmfried's eyes were closed, his face was contorted with pain. I sat in my brother's lap, looking up at him, observing him. He had not gone unharmed, as I had. His arms were burnt, his hands were burnt, his chest was burnt, and so was the right side of his face. The other blonde man was Johann, who I had recognized as my father's good friend. He had bandaged up the rest of the burns on Helmfried. Like me, Johann had gone unharmed.

Helmfried opened his eyes slowly and looked at me, and gave a weak smile. A tired bandaged hand reached out to touch the side of my face, as if he wasn't sure I was real. Everything about him seemed slow, weak, and exhausted. He had the horrible scent of something burnt all over him. It was a strange, sweet scent that I had never smelled before. His straight hair that was usually combed so neatly was singed and matted. His blue eyes were filled with a sorrow such as I had never seen before, and I knew from that moment that that sorrow would never leave them. He was on the brim of tears. It was then that I realized that there were tears on my eyelashes, patiently waiting to fall. And I let them fall, because at the moment, it was the only thing I could do.

"Don't cry, Helga, be happy you're alive," said my brother. But I couldn't be sure it was him. Because my brother Helmfried had a cheerful, kindly voice that rang like a bell of laughter. This voice was kindly too, but it was so sad and depressed and pained. How could my brother have changed so fast? The villagers had murdered my family and others because they thought that we were evil. But how could they be the good ones if they had done this to my brother? And why was he telling me to be happy anyway, he looked just as sad as I did.

"You're sad too, you know," I muttered. And as soon as I said that, I wanted to take it back, it seemed so cruel. My brother began to cry as well. We sat there, in each others arms, the sole survivors of our large family. I don't know what Johann and the bearded man were doing while we were mourning, but they didn't interrupt us.

And I don't know about Helmfried, but I cried myself to sleep that night, my nostrils still infested with that strong, strange, sweet scent of my brother.

It was only later that I would realize what that smell was. The smell of a burnt human body.

"Johann, brother-in-law and dear friend of mine, what shall we do with the children? They can't stay in this clearing forever, and the boy needs better healer's attention than even I could ever give him. And you can't take them home either, as much as we both know you would like to. Those neighbors of yours would recognize them with ease. And then it wouldn't be long until it leaked out the other ways you have helped witches," said the bearded man. My eyelids seemed strangely heavy, and I blinked for a while, my eyes getting used to the sudden darkness around me. It must have been nighttime, I had fallen asleep. Johann and the bearded man must have thought that my brother and I were still asleep. I can't speak for my brother, but I knew that I was awake. But I didn't stir, I was curious to know what Johann and friend were planning to do with me.

"I understand, but we must give them time," answered Johann, concerned, "They are only just beginning to mourn, after all. They will want to visit their family's bodies."

"No child should ever have to see the carcass of their parents or their siblings," answered the bearded man sharply, "and they need not mourn here." Here? What did he mean by here? The clearing, the village, the valley, or all of Germany? What did he plan to do with us?

"Then where?" asked Johann, "What do you say we do with them?" Johann sounded different than before, now ill-tempered and upset. In truth, I was too scared to go to the final resting place of most of my family. But I was ever more fearful of leaving the valley I knew so well and loved.

"Do not treat me like a fool, Johann! You know perfectly well that I have received more education than you can ever hope to know," said the bearded man, raising his voice. I was scared, was this bearded man dangerous? I tensed up, my heartbeat raced, but I could hear that Helmfried's heart still beating on slowly. He was still asleep. I made note to tell him all that I heard this night when he was awake. Maybe he would know what to do.

"I know, I know," said Johann sadly, "It's just, these are the children of my best friend since I was a child. For Pete's sake- Helmfried looks just like Alex when he was his age- as did Menno, may he rest in peace. I couldn't bear to part with them, not just yet anyway. Their presence eases my pain and comforts me."

"I am sorry, my brother, but we must put the best interests of the children before your own. They cannot stay here. They'll never be accepted in your entire valley. You have said that Helmfried possessed no skill with magic, so it is possible for him to find a good home, close enough to pay respects to his family, but far enough for no one to recognize him. But Helga, she is a different story. You told me what Alex said about her, about what she could possibly amount to if the fates allow it. She hasn't shown any signs yet, but when she does- if she does, it will be in a way more powerful than you can ever expect," the bearded man explained wisely. I was confused. What had my father said about me? What was it that I could amount to, and was this why he always asked if anything interesting I couldn't explain had occurred? I was so confused that for a moment I became disoriented and forgot where I was. Then I remembered the situation, and that brought no comfort, seeing as how sad a situation it was.

"You mean to take them back with you to England, don't you Edmund?" asked Johann softly. That was the first comment that brought me no confusion all night. I now knew the bearded man's name, and I knew what they meant to do with me. I had heard of England only once or twice in passing. But I knew enough to know that it was a terribly long way from my home valley. And I didn't like the thought of that.

"I will try to," said Edmund honestly, "Hiding a little girl and a sickly boy on my boat will be very hard to do, as well as getting there, but I will try."

"What do you mean to do with them once they are there? They don't know the language, or the customs of your people," asked Johann, as close to a concerned parent as one can be to children not their own.

"They will have to learn, as I have learned your customs and your language," said Edmund simply, as if the language and cultural barrier were nothing.

"But Edmund," argued Johann again, "You live in a city! Only once have I ever been in any sort of a city, and it is totally different than the country which these children know. They will grow to yearn for their homeland."

"Anything we do will have its pros, as well as its cons," said Edmund, "And I can promise you and the spirits of their family this: I will do all in my power to protect them; I will do all in my power to keep them in good health; and finally, but definitely not least, I will do all in my power to keep them happy."

"That's all that I can ask, I suppose," said Johann, and I felt his gaze on my brother and I, "Still, I wish there was another way. Couldn't your magic do something to help them?"

"Silly non-magical folk, you think that magic can solve any sort of problem. That is the problem with your kind, aside from the fact that the Christians of you damn us to hell. Magic is still more primitive than you think, and nobody knows all of it. For instance, in your valley, only Herbology, Magical Animalogy, and some charmswork are taught, because that is what they need. But in my city, we are well-versed in Transfiguration and Dueling Arts. People only know what they need to know to survive," explained Edmund.

"Then, then why don't you all gather somewhere, where us non-magical people can't find you. Collaborate and teach each other," advised Johan. I thought it was a good idea, it made sense to me.

"Because, Johann, my naive brother and friend, that would require people being able to communicate over large distances. Coming together is very hard for us. You know this, you have seen what has happened in the past day because wizards tried to gather," said Edmund sadly, "but enough talk, we will be moving tomorrow. I will take them with me to England, and say they are my niece and nephew. My wife, your sister, is German, and they will think nothing of it at home."

"The best of luck to you and the children, but I must go. My own wife is waiting for me. Until I next see you," Johann said, nodding, and I heard his feet crunch through the grass as he walked away. Edmund lay down on the ground, and I heard his breath slow down as he was taken by slumber.

I got up and walked around the dark encampment. Pacing in circles, I thought about what I had overheard that night. I would be leaving this valley, and going to an England city. Johann was right; I would miss my valley, and hardly knew of cities and England. But maybe people would be different in England. Maybe things would be better.

And we would be staying with this Edmund man. I wasn't sure whether or not I like him yet. He was good, yes, he had taken me to my brother, and he had helped to keep me safe. And he had promised to Johann that he would continue to keep my brother and me happy, healthy, and safe. But something about him scared me. He was a wizard, yes, but that wasn't it. There was something, something else…

"Helga?" someone called out my name. I turned around to see my brother, sitting and staring at me. Sunrise was beginning now, and I hadn't realized it. It didn't make too much of a difference, seeing as the trees created a canopy of leaves above. Still, now I could see Edmund with his big black beard, sleeping, the remainders of a campfire that had burned out hours ago, and several trunks of all sizes.

"What are you pacing like that for? What are you thinking about?" Helmfried inquired.

"Oh-nothing, just nothing," I said quickly. But Helmfried knew me too well, he knew I was lying. Besides, I wasn't the best of liars. He could easily see right through me, figuratively speaking of course.

"Oh, come on little sister you'll have to better than that," he smiled. I smiled; he was getting back to his old self. But the smile was quickly replaced by a pained expression when he tried to move his arm, and he asked again, "What were you thinking about?" He was looking straight at me, and I couldn't look away. He looked so fragile, even though he was my big brother. Inside my head, I was debating whether or not it was still a good idea to tell him. I mean, he was sick, could he handle it? Then I told myself to stop being stupid and tell him, because he could probably better figure out what this means for us than I could. So I told him.

"And they didn't even bother to ask us about what we wanted to do," Helmfried shook his head after I told him. I think he was just as shocked and confused as I was about the whole thing.

"Maybe they were planning to tell us, but they haven't gotten around to it yet," I offered hopefully, "So, what do you think about going to England?"

"I don't know, really. I don't know too much about it, and I've never been to a city before. It must be a lot different from the valley, though," concluded Helmfried, "And I don't think I really want to go to a city, and I don't see how they plan to get us to England anyway. Isn't it a long way away from the valley?"

"I guess," I shrugged stupidly, "But I didn't overhear how they were going to get us there."

"I would just go up and run away if I could. But seeing as I'm in this condition," he looked at his bandaged arms and face.

"Would you take me too?" I asked him. It was a hypothetical question; I didn't think he would ever run away. Besides, I almost knew he would take me. But somehow I needed to hear it from him, too. But he seemed to take it quite seriously.

"If you were ready, I would," he said, "If you were ready." I didn't understand it. People kept asking me if I were ready for something, and Edmund and Johann were discussing me showing signs. Was I really going to be a witch one day, and a powerful one at that? I now knew that witches didn't have to be bad people, but did I even want to be a witch, after seeing what it had done to my family? This was much too much for my six-year old mind to handle.

It was then that we heard a rustling sound nearby. We turned, but it was only Edmund, the bearded man, waking up from his slumber. He looked at us knowingly, and I was afraid. He knew so much about us, things that I didn't even know. What other secrets could he be keeping from us?

"Morning sir," greeted Helmfried. I nodded my own greeting; I couldn't get out the words to speak just yet.

Edmund looked uncomfortable with what he was about to say as he began, "My name is Lord Edmund Hufflepuff, and I suppose, well, I should talk to you about what we are going to do with you, since-"

"We know," Helmfried cut in, and Edmund looked taken aback, "Helga overheard you talking to Mr. Johann. We know you want us to come live with you in England."

"Oh," was all Edmund could say, "Well, I hope you understand- it's the best way if you think about it."

"When are we leaving?" Helmfried prompted wearily.

"Now," said Edmund simply, pulling out his wand. I was afraid, but he didn't point it at us. Instead, he pointed it at the trunks and all the other things in the encampment. With some funny wordsd, he made everything turn to little red rocks that he collected and put into a bag. Needless to say, I was in awe. I supposed I had seen magic before, but never outright magic like that.

"How? Helmfried can't walk," I asked, walking up to Edmund.

"And he won't be," smiled Edmund.

"Huh?" I asked stupidly. Edmund patted my head.

"You will see. Now I need each of you to give me a hand," he said. My brother complied, but I looked up at him suspiciously. I wasn't feeling very trusting as of late, but anyone could understand why. He smiled at me reassuringly. His yellow teeth weren't very reassuring to look at, though.

Lord Edmund whats-his-face began to chant something, closing his eyes. Helmfried closed his eyes too, and I did also. I felt myself start to, well, it's hard to explain. I felt myself began to disappear, to be sucked somewhere else. First my hair, then my eyes, my bones, my skin, all of me. One at a time they were sucked away, until with a pop I was gone.

I opened my eyes quickly- what had happened? I wasn't in the clearing by my valley home now. I was standing on a dirt path. The air smelled strange, salty almost, and before me was a mass of blue. It took me awhile to realize that the blue mass was water- I had never seen so much before!

"W-Where are we?" I stuttered, still taking in what had happened.

"I have taken us to the coast. From here, we will take my boat to England. From there, we will apparate to my home," he explained.

"Apparate?' I questioned. I had never heard of that before.

"It's how we traveled here," he explained quickly, "Now, come along, we're going to be late and miss the boat."

"Boat? What is boat?" I asked, confused as he led us closer to the big mass of blue water.

"A boat is what will take us across the sea," he explained, leading us to a wooden plank. It connected to a large wooden thing with big white sheets. This must be a boat. It looked big, but compared to the big water, it was tiny! How could that protect us?

"Why can't we use the apparition thingy?" I asked nervously.

"it doesn't work over water," he said hurriedly as he led us up the plank.

There were many men working on this boat, and they all smelled bad, like Kuno. I got lost from my brother and Edmund. I called out for them. And a man with brown hair said something to me. Unfortunately, it wasn't in my native language and I had no idea what he was saying.

The boat began to move, and I made my way to the side of the boat so that I could look out at the sea. The boat rocked back and forth, back and forth. I had to lock my knees and hold onto the rail in order to stand up. The sun was bright, too bright. I had to look down at the water, watching the waves. I started to feel sort of dizzy, and I had a very strange feeling in my stomach.

Only thirty minutes on my first boat, and I got seasick.

The man with brown hair who had said something to me before in some foreign language took me down under the deck. My brother was there, getting his bandages changed.

"Where have you been? What happened to you anyway?" he asked me, worried as he looked at my sickly face.

"My stomach came up," I said simply. The brown haired man came back with Edmund, and a clean rag to use to clean my face. I smiled my thanks and eagerly wiped it all away.

"I heard about your little sickness, Helga. It was good that Daniel was able to get you down here," he gestured to the brown haired man. He nodded and went back above deck.

Edmund got a cot ready for me and I slept the rest of the way. It wasn't hard to sleep, the rocking motion almost felt like my mother rocking me to sleep when I was little. Mother, I missed her so much. And I missed Father, and Korinna, and Brigitta, and yes, even Gunda and Menno. I missed our home, and our little town in the village, and I almost even missed Kuno. Almost. But it would take a lot to make me miss him.

We got into port sometime at night. Edmund apparated us right inside his very large home when we got out of the boat. My brother was exhausted, apparently apparition takes its toll on those not physically fit or not-magical. My brother was both. So Edmund set us up in our own rooms. Think of that, we each had our own rooms, and they were big!

I guess he never got around to telling his wife, though, because I woke up late that morning when someone opened the door to my room and started screaming.

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**Jessi's Note:** Hey people! I think I'll be updating every five days, so you know. Oh, and also my cousin says I should add how I know what the smell of burnt human flesh smells like since, well it is kind of disturbing. One of my teachers at school is a Holocaust survivor, we asked him a couple of questions about it and he mentioned the smell. He's one of the nicest people I've met, so it's pretty sad he went through all that. Anyway, my rant ends here! By the way, thank you so much to **Atiya** for reviewing! Glad you love it, grammar's never been my strongest suit, but I promise I'll try to be better about it.


	3. A Hufflepuff Now

**Jessi's Note:** MY COMPUTER IS EVIL- PURE EVIL! Okay then, that was me taking out my anger on an inanimate object. I'm sorry about the delay-of-update. My computer was having issues, but they are fixed. Also, warning, this chapter will be confusing! So, here's my hint, which you will understand later. First part is where we left off, and the dream is five years later. Also, this will be the last Helga chapter for a while. Who will be next? You'll see...

Miss Anonymous hp: Thank you! I hate how Helga is always written like a pretty simpleton- it drives me nuts. Things will get better for Helga... sort of...

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I cocked my head to the side, trying to make sense of what this lady was saying. She and Edmund were arguing loudly right outside my room. The longer I was here, the more I realized how dire it was that I learned English as quickly as possible. Maybe if I could understand her, I could be able to fix her problem. Whatever that was.

"Edmund, every time you leave this castle, you bring back yet another trifle! This time you have gone too far, bringing children here with you like that!" yelled the woman, the argument turning to German. Apparently, they didn't want anyone to listen in on their conversation. I supposed it didn't matter to her if she insulted me in my native tongue. The conversation got quieter, reduced to angry whispers. I pressed my ear closer to the door, wanting desperately to know what was being said on the other side.

"…you know what is going on at the Council, how they have been searching for them ever since their potential has been known. They have one already, and I suspect that Helga is one of them too!" this was Edmund whispering, of course. And there he was talking about what I was supposed to be again. I felt helpless; will someone please tell me what's going on? It's as if there's some great big secret about me, and I'm the only one who doesn't know about it. It's driving me mad with anxiety; I usually liked surprises, but not this one.

"How can you be so sure?" the lady questioned him, her voice dripping in suspicion, "Have you seen her do anything?"

"Well, no," admitted Edmund, "But I don't need to. There is yet another prophecy about her- just one other, and this one more specifically about her. I don't believe she has done any magic yet, but when she does, well- all those who find themselves opposing her shall beware!"

There was a silence, as if each of them were contemplating what that meant. I was too, of course. Not to sound conceited or anything, but this _was_ about me of course.

After that they continued their conversation in hushed English. I assumed they changed languages again because at least one of them realized that I could hear them quite clearly. Because I couldn't hear anything interesting anymore, I sighed, and retreated back into my bed, trying to go back to sleep. But sleep wouldn't come to me now. There was simply too much going through my head to allow me to rest. I tossed and turned out of frustration- how hard was it to sleep when you had just been sleeping maybe an hour ago?

The door opened to my room. I feigned sleep but Edmund knew better. He seemed to know better about everything. I wondered if he was a very powerful wizard. He _was _a lord after all. Did that title mean anything to non-magical people? I shrugged the thought off. Nah, he was just a regular wizard-lord.

"I know you're awake, Helga," he said in German, sitting at the edge of the bed. I opened my eyes and sat up, looking at him. He looked exhausted from the conversation he had had with his wife before. Which reminded me- were they going to even keep me? What if his wife had persuaded him not to keep my brother and me? What then would be in store for us?

"Well," I asked, "when are we going?" I figured I should be hoping for the best, but prepare for the worst.

"Helga? What are you talking about, you're staying right here, of course," he smiled at me reassuringly. I smiled too. So I did have a home after all. Then I noticed something from my old home. Something I hadn't realized was here before. But then, there had been so many trunks at the encampment of Johann and Edmund, and I was distressed. Who was I to realize that the trunk with my parents' secret things had somehow managed to escape the fires? I got up and out of bed, slowly approaching the trunk. I had never taken a good look in it before, and I wanted to see what was inside now. Maybe it would remind me of my parents. I missed them a lot.

"No Helga, you must rest," said Edmund, picking me up by my waist and carrying me back to bed. Being small can be so frustrating at times. If only I were bigger, he wouldn't have been able to hold me back. Then I could see what was inside that trunk.

"You must rest," he commanded me. I pouted and folded my arms. I did not want to go to sleep, as I did not feel the least bit tired at all. I had just been sleeping for hours already. Was he hiding something from me? Or did he just not want me to see what was in the trunk?

"But I do not feel any sleepy anymore, Edmund," I whined, "I want to look inside my parents' trunks."

"When you are older, Helga, when you are older. But for now," he said, tucking me into bed, "You are to call me Father, and my wife will be your mother. My two daughters, Mildred, Prosperity, Adela, and Rowena will be your sisters. Mildred is twelve, Prosperity is nine, Adela is eight, and Rowena is five- just a year younger than you. And your brother shall still be your brother. And you will be Helga Hufflepuff and Helmfried Hufflepuff Now rest, Helga, rest." He left the room, taking the candle shining light with him, and closed the door. And I went to sleep. But, I did not rest.

_There is an endless dirt road, and I stand on it. I can not move, and there is silence. I am all alone. Where I am, I do not know. I'm not even quite sure how I got here. But here I am, and I think I'll be staying her for a while._

_Suddenly, I begin to run, I don't know why. I look around- am I actually even getting anywhere? Because all I see is the same dirt road, and the same silence. Wait, I can here something now. But, the sound is not welcome, not at all._

_It's screaming, people are screaming. Their words I can barely comprehend, it's like a totally different language, one that I used to know. Because it tugs at memories from long ago, but I can only catch ever other word. But I know they want help-they want for me to help them. But I can't, I know I can't. I'm just stupid little Helga, after all, the youngest Hufflepuff. What could I possibly do? _

_But I have to do something. I couldn't bear not to do anything, to stand idly while others are in pain. So I cry out for help too, but in my own language, English. Maybe someone will understand me, someone who isn't stupid or little, and can rescue the poor screaming people._

_Someone does come. A big, fat giant, who smells horrible. This too, I seem to remember, but I don't know who he is. I just don't know. See how stupid little Helga is, with her terrible memory?_

_He comes for me, and pulls me close, suffocating me with his stench. Something is tugging in the back of my mind- I know this ugly beast! But… how?_

"_W-What, do you want?" is all I am able to get out, a soft and fearful stutter. The giant smiles evilly at me, and I am not sure I want to know the reply._

"_I do not want anything to do with you," he said evilly._

"_T-Then what do you, do you want?" I asked, my heart beating faster than I thought it ever could, sweating from my palms, shaking with fear._

"_You hear their screams?" he asked in a deadly whisper, and I nodded, and he continued, "They're burning, witch, just like all your kind should. And you know something?" he paused for my reaction, but I was too busy shaking to react, "You're next. BURN WITCH- BURN!"_

"_No," I cried out weakly, "No, no, no! I shan't burn, I shan't burn!"_

"I SHAN'T BURN!" I said, sitting up quickly in my… bed?

"I… shan't… burn?" I said, softly, looking around the bedroom in confusion. Where was I again? Oh yes, I was in my bedroom, my name was Helga Hufflepuff, and I was a made and youngest daughter of the Hufflepuffs. We lived in a small castle, secluded from the rest of the rest of the town in the English glen, and the big, smelly, malicious giant was merely a dream. I was a maid because my mother said I was too stupid to do anything else. That's what my sisters say too- except for Rowena, who doesn't say much of anything. But Rowena, I believe, could be really good at heart.

Besides all that I am clumsy, and have a very average appearance. Long blond curls, blue eyes, average height. I have dark circles under my eyes, because I rarely sleep. When I do sleep, I get strange nightmares that I find are very, very scary. I used to be quite chunky, but due to a combination of a growth spurt and the lack of food mother allowed me, I was average height now. My sisters Mildred and Prosperity say that I am quite the ugly thing. I say my sisters Mildred and Prosperity look like pigs. And yet, mother praises them so.

I also remembered, judging by the amount of light coming in the window, that I was late for chores again. And ah, yes, I remembered something else. Today was my eleventh birthday. That meant that I was provided with an extra meal, maybe even dessert, if I were lucky. But clumsy little girls like me rarely ever get lucky.

But today, I was to get a very strange present, one that had been there all along, only I just realized it. And it would come in such a strange matter, that it would take a stranger to realize it for me. But I didn't know that yet. All I knew was that I had to get dressed as quickly as humanely possible- who knew what mother would do if I were late. She was always cruelest on Helmfried and my own birthdays.

I put on a simple blue dress over a white shirt with long sleeves. With a dirty gray ribbon, I tied masses of blonde curls into a ponytail, and ran as fast as I could to the kitchens.

"You're late," accused a voice as I entered the kitchen. It was Rosemunde, the cook, and she didn't even need to turn around to know that it was my bare feet running on her clean, stone, kitchen floors.

"Really, I am sorry," I apologized. But with my accent, it sounded more like 'Weally, I ahm sawy.' Prosperity and Mildred often mocked my funny accent as well. Mother said it was speech impairment, part of my stupidity. I rarely talked to anyone unless I had to, or unless they were my friend. I hated to be teased, it hurt a lot.

"It is your birthday today, is it not?" asked Rosemunde coolly as she set a pie on the table for me to decorate with toppings. Rosemunde had a very strange personality. I knew she cared for my well-being, but had an odd way of showing it. I supposed the redheaded, rosy-cheeked woman didn't want to let on to my mother we were friends, or we'd both be in trouble. I could count all my friends on one hand- Rosemunde, Helmfried, Rowena, and James, the elderly butler. I was hardly ever able to see Rowena without interference from mother or one of my sisters. So I had no one of my own age to talk to- Helmfried was now nineteen, a full grown man, and Rosemunde and James were adults too.

"It is," I nodded, biting my lip. I wanted to get this pie just right. Maybe mother would finally give me a compliment. Now that would be quite a birthday present all by itself. It would also be good if father had come home. But he hadn't come home from his journeys since Helga was nine. She wondered what he was up to right now.

"Then this is for you," she handed me a wooden basket filled with good food, covered with a blanket, "One you are finished setting the table, you are to go to the horse stables where your brother works. You are then to go to town with him to pick up packages from a Sir Theodric, sent from your father. Your brother knows where to go."

"B-But-" I began to protest. She was being too kind, I didn't remember I had had such good food, I didn't deserve it. Not even on my birthday, I didn't deserve such a gift. Surely mother would find out what Rosemunde had done. I couldn't bear to think of what would happen next. No, I couldn't let Rosemunde put herself in jeopardy for me, I wasn't worth it.

"Now, I won't have any of that. Helga, set the table and be off, and do take your birthday present with you," she ordered.

"Thank you, thank you," I muttered over and over gratefully as I exited the kitchen. Of course, it sounded more like I was saying "Tzank you, tzank you," but no matter. At least my accent was understandable, unlike my brother's, which could be almost incomprehensible at times.

After setting the table with as much haste as possible without doing a good job, I was off to the stables with my basket. It was cold outside, the middle of October, but I had not thought to bring a cloak with me. It wasn't too horrible outside anyway, I could manage. Even in the little secluded valley with all its troublesome mountains and steep pathways, I got to the far off stable in no time. Of course, my legs burned from a non-stop sprint, but that was of no matter. I could manage.

"Helmfried! Helmfriend? Vere are you?" I called out breathlessly. I'm sure he didn't hear me, I was so tired and my voice was weak. So I sat in my usual stool to wait for him. Unfortunately, someone was already sitting in it.

"Would you mind getting off of me?" came a cool male voice. I jumped, causing some of the fruits from my basket to fall to the mud. My fruit! Whoever this person was, I didn't like them already.

"Who are you and vaht are you doing here?" I asked accusingly, turning around to face the boy. He looked only a few years older than I was. He was so pale; I thought he may have been close to death. He had dark eyes and black hair pulled back into a ponytail. His facial expression seemed to be stuck in a sneer. His eyes were as cold as ice, sizing me up and I was quickly terrified by them. Even if his clothes told that he was no higher in status than I. I felt as if I should be on my best behavior, or something bad would happen.

Then tall and lanky Helmfried came in, whistling cheerfully as he led a proud chestnut mare into the stables, turned at me and smiled warmly, "Morning, Helga. 'appy bewsday."

"Tzank you," I said, and cut to the point, "Who is he?"

"Zaht is Salazar Slytherin- 'e'll be wehking in za stables wit me," he said. It looked as if this Salazar guy had trouble understanding my brother's accent- many newcomers did. It was amusing to see a semi-confused expression on his sneering face. Helmfried continued, "In fact, 'is fehst job is to take you to pick up a package for ze 'ufflepuffs." Helmfried never considered himself a Hufflepuff, but that wasn't what disappointed me. I would have to go into town with that, that sneering Salazar Slytherin. Not that I had anything against him, but I wanted today to be a special treat for me and my brother.

Slytherin nodded wordlessly at my brother and started out of the stable. I guess he was expecting me to follow him. With one last glance at my brother, I took my basket and went out the door. Today was going to be a long day.


	4. Right Under Your Nose All Along

**Jessi Brooke's Note:** The thing I hate most about muses, is that they come and go without even leaving a note. Also, I'm upping the rating for this chapter, for some mature words the kiddies shouldn't be reading.

**FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYKings:** Thank you for both reviews! Well, I agree with the memory thing, & Helga doesn't remember Germany, although Helmfried tries to get her to remember. I can live with the number of review I'm getting, as long as people are enjoying it, I'm happy.

**RavenEcho:** Thank you also for both reviews! I like how you write Salazar in your story as well. I think it's kind of like all those Marauder fics out there, sometimes Lily is a hippie, other times she is a bookworm, depending on the story line.This reminds me, I haven't gotten a chance to read your latest chapter yet, I'll go do that.

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Salazar's POV 

My first job as a stable was to take the Hufflepuff's ugly youngest daughter into town to retrieve some package. I had to be on my best behavior, or else the Hufflepuff girl will surely tattle on me. It's quite obvious that she wishes her brother was here in my place. I wish he was in my place too. Why would I ever want to be a stable boy, driving smelly horses through narrow pathways in this godforsaken glen for two hours, then into town for the day with this ugly little wench?

Her hair was pretty though, if she took better care of it she could probably sell it for a nice price. But good pureblooded girls don't sell their hair. They don't even think about such lowlife things. No, only people like me, with diseased blood, non-magic blood, running through their veins would ever have a thought like that.

No, I am no child of non-magical parenting; I could never live with myself if that were true. My mother was solely and completely magic. I don't know about my father, I don't even know who he is. All I know is that I am the bastard child of a witch with enough money to send her son to be stable hand in England to pay for his magical education. Somehow it had gotten through to my mother that the Hufflepuff daughters had a special kind of tutor. And somehow she found out that this tutor taught them magic. Don't know how she found that out, though. She is a lowly servant, and servants have a tendency to gossip about their masters. Maybe that is how word got out. People always seemed to remember the things you rather they would forget.

The only thing that could be heard was the clip-clop of the horseshoes on the ground below. This was going to be a long day; I could just feel it in my bones. And it would most likely be a boring one, too. I didn't mind the silence, I was used to it. Besides, silence was good for thinking.

But I had to talk. If I wanted to get on the favorable side of the Hufflepuff family, it would do best to acquaint myself with one of their daughters, even if she wore little more than rags. But then, that would mean starting a conversation- never one of my strong points. I had never really liked being around people. People were stupid, gullible creatures that were not worth my time, unless something could be gained from them.

"Well," I started, and from the moment I opened my mouth, I knew that I was going to sound stupid, and this only confirmed it, "What's it like? Living here, I mean." My voice trailed off. I mentally bashed myself for sounding so unintelligent, like the lowlife I really was. If only I could make myself more presentable, once I had mastered magic I could leave this place and make a new name for myself. No one would ever have to know that Salazar Slytherin quite possibly had non-magic blood in him.

"It's alright," said the girl slowly, "Helmfried does not like it, tzough." I had met Helmfried; he was a nice man, in charge of the Hufflepuff horses. I wondered why the oldest child and only son of the Hufflepuff's would be working in the stable. Probably a strain of rebellion in him, his old master had a son like that. He was too brave, took too many chances.

"Oh? And why not?" I prompted. I found that trying to steer the horses (something I never had done before, but I didn't let on ) and talking at the same time was kind of hard to do.

"He says, he says," she managed to get out slowly, than stopped. It was obvious that she was hiding something from me. And that made me impatient.

"What does he say, Helga?" I asked, hoping that I had not shown my impatience with the daughter of my master and mistress. I had always tried not to show my emotions, they showed your weaknesses and then people took advantage of them. But when I was particularly annoyed, that was kind of hard to do. I was working on it, though. And once I had perfected not showing my emotions, I knew I would be much better off.

"Because, because," she struggled, "Because ve are adopted. Tzat's vaht Helmfried says. But I, I don't remember anyzhing before England."

Well, I had to say, I was not _completely _shocked. It did explain how she and Helmfried had fair hair and eyes, while the other children were darker. And of course, there was the tell-tale accent. Lord Edmund had probably brought them back from one of his adventures, like I was. Of course, they hadn't chosen to adopt me. And they treated the pair like mere servants. Perhaps Lord Edmund had an affair with another while on a journey. Still, they would have inherited his dark hair, like the others.

There still was not something completely right about the entire situation. I however, had the tact not to push the subject forward. Otherwise, I may never get another word out of her, and how would that help me?

"Isn't that interesting," I nodded, "Would you happen to know how much longer it will be until we reach town?" I was already tired of guiding these horses. Which wasn't a very good thing at all, seeing as I would be doing this for a long time. Or at least, as long as I stayed with the Hufflepuffs. And who knew how long that would be? Not me, that's for sure.

"Ve are vewy near to zhe town," she observed, "Alzhough, it is not a vewy easy pahz, so it should not be too long."

Well, if that wasn't vague. How long was too long, in her perspective? I really would have preferred a more exact answer, if that wasn't asking too much. And I didn't think it was.

And just when I was about to get mad, I found that we had reached the outskirts of the village. I saw farmers harvesting crops, and muddy little children running about. I was always a hypochondriac, I resented getting myself dirty. I put a finger through my dark hair, now in a sleek ponytail. It felt nice and clean. It always made me happy to be clean; it was satisfying in a way I couldn't explain-

"SALAZAR!" the Helga girl shrieked. I came back to reality and found that we were going off the path, and onto some farmer's land. Quickly I pulled on the reins, and started to direct the horses back onto the dirt road. But it was too late; the farmer had spotted us and was running up to the carriage quickly.

"You, young man- just what do you think you're doing? Don't you know how to steer a team of horses, boy? What's wrong with you!" the man yelled. He was really getting at my temper. He was an older man with salt and pepper color hair, and a big bushy beard. He was a large man, with large gray eyes that were already scrutinizing me.

"I-I am terribly sorry, sir-" I began smoothly, but was cut off by Helga. I wanted to slap her, I didn't like top be interrupted.

"Mr. Longwood?" she asked from my other side, "Is zhat you?"

And then the man did something I didn't expect. He smiled.

"Helga, my girl, I didn't know that you were there! Who's your friend?" he inquired. So now I was the friend, interesting.

"Zis, is Salazar Slyzherin, he just came to ze mansion," she introduced, "He is working as a stable boy." It annoyed me how she could not pronounce my surname, we would have to work on that. My face reddened slightly as she mentioned my job. I must have looked like a pretty poor stable boy. Luckily, that was not the real reason I was at the Hufflepuff's, otherwise I would have surely been fired. From the look upon his face, that Mr. Longwood seemed to think so as well. But he didn't have to know the real reason. It made me feel kind of superior, having knowledge that he did not.

"Well, nice to meet you, young man. I best be off, you tell your brother I say hello, ya here, Helga?" he smiled, and walked off.

"Yes, sir," she nodded, "I vill."

We didn't speak for the rest of the ride into town. Slowly the land became more populated and more houses started to pop up from the land. The town was very busy, bustling with more dirty people. Helga directed me to a town stable, where we put up the horses. This stable boy seemed to know her brother as well, and she gave him a loaf of bread from her basket before we were off. She seemed to be friends with everybody, that girl. It made her friendship- no acquaintance all the more important.

"Where is this place?" I asked, unused to the hustle and bustle of the town, "I mean, where we're supposed to be going to pick up this package."

She giggled- why was she giggling? I didn't see how what I had just said was in any way, shape, or form, funny.

"It's right zhere," she pointed across the road and a little further down to the left. I didn't blame myself, though. How was I supposed to know what this tavern looked like? I for one, had never stepped foot into a tavern in my whole entire life.

We crossed the busy road to the other side. It took quite a lot of shoving to get through, and it was then that I learned "push others, or they might push you even harder." Great lesson, no?

While everyone seemed to be filing in and out of the many shops and taverns quickly, must people didn't even glance at the tavern. It was as if they didn't even know it was there. It was very strange. I was just about to enter the tavern when Helga stopped me by getting in my way, "What?" I asked, agitated.

"_Ve_ do not go in tzrough ze front, ve go in tzrough ze side," she explained kindly. Taking my hand she led me around the tavern, and in through a side enterance.

It looked like we had entered some sort of a kitchen, if it could be called that. It was disgustingly dirty- how could people eat the food here? There was dirt and grime all over the place, and it didn't look like they cleaned the stone plates very often.

A young man came in, roughly Helmfried's age, carrying in some empty tin mugs. He looked as dirty as the kitchen, with masses of unkempt black curls. He didn't seem to be surprised that Helga and I were waiting there in the kitchen. Quite the contrary, he looked as if he had been wondering where they had gone off to.

"You're making him mad," he muttered, as he put some meat on the grimy plates, "Sir Theodric is not pleased, he has other important business that he must attend to."

"Tell him ve are very sorry," explained Helga, "And zhat it vill never happen again."

"It better not," muttered the raven haired man, "He's been close to causing a ruckus soon, and you know why we especially can't have that." Helga nodded, but I was confused. What was this place really?

The boy turned to me, and pushed me forcefully out the kitchen door and into the main tavern dining area. I was confused- why me and not Helga? Helga knew much more about what was going on then I did. But as I looked around at who was in the tavern, I realized why. There was not one woman there. It seems a tavern was a place where men congregated to drink, eat, and talk. And Helga being of the female gender, it would probably not be appropriate for her to come in.

"Lord Theodric, the messenger from the Hufflepuffs has arrived for their order," announced the waiter, setting the plates on the table where five men sat. I watched in disgust as the men, some of them who looked like nobles, hastily spooned food into their mouth.

"That Hufflepuff never comes home," said one of the men, loud and boisterous and fat. From the smell of his breath, I could tell that he had been doing a lot of drinking, "Always off on business. Well what sort of business, says I?"

"Fraternizing with the womenfolk all over the world, perhaps?" laughed a tall one with light hair loudly. They all laughed, but I did not see what was so funny about that. I had personally met Lord Edmund Hufflepuff, and I thought that he was a hard worker, and a good men. He was always losing money though, because he was trying to help everyone else. I wanted to tell them that, but I didn't want to disagree with a group of drunken men who were all bigger and stronger and more powerful than me.

"No, no, Hufflepuff is too good for that. His wife though, doesn't seem to be the loyalist of women," said a third, bulky and short, and all the rest laughed heartily. The young waiter went over to another table, and I was left alone with these drunken men. Great, just dandy (can you hear the sarcasm?).

"Ah, me laddies, don't be insulting my best customer," said a small man with beady eyes and balding dark hair on his head. He was neat and clean-shaven, well, cleaner than anyone else in the tavern- even cleaner than I. And that was saying something.

"Boy, you want the package- here it is," he said, and he handed me a heavy satchel, and I stumbled under its weight.

"Ah, this package not a child this time?" asked the fat and boisterous one. They roared with laughter. I thought I heard a rattling coming from the kitchen, but I brushed it off. Why would the kitchen be shaking anyway? It made no sense.

"Maybe that is where the Hessian children came from- they have the same colored hair as her!" said the first. They all chuckled.

"It wouldn't surprise me if that Helmfried and Helga were bastards," nodded the third man, "And that Hufflepuff is such a pushover, he'd take them in." There were barks of agreement, but that wasn't the only thing that seemed to get louder. The shaking became more apparent, I couldn't be imagining it. But how could it be?

"Well, what are you waiting for boy?" said the tall man, "Don't you want to go back home to your whorish mistress, her ugly daughters, and the bastards? Must be great, working for them. Are the daughters whores too?" This got the must laughter. But this time, I didn't just stand there and take. This time I decided to do something different. I ducked. And just in time.

There was a crash, a large explosion. The entire kitchen had spontaneously exploded- plates were flying everywhere- there was a cloud of dirt and debris. After a moment of silence, people started coughing, and I looked up and back at the kitchen as the cloud subsided. There had been a small circle of untouched floor in the kitchen. In it stood a wide-eyed Helga, her hands over her mouth in pure shock.

She might not have known it, but Helga was the most powerful witch I had ever heard of! I waited to see what she had to say. Obviously she was an expert witch, and had a totally good explanation for why she let her temper loose like that.

"H-How," she said, shaking, "Vhat just happened?"

I was incredulous. How could someone be that powerful and not even know it? I knew that she just had to be joking.

"It's because you're a witch, Helga," I said, as if stating the obvious.

The drunken men, who had once been laughing with glee, exchanged shocked but knowing glances. They began to primp themselves as they got off of the ground. The raven-haired waiter began to upright chairs, and all stared at Helga.

"I think," said Lord Theodric quietly, "That what we have been looking for, has been under our noses all along."


	5. The Heir, The Spare, and Rowena

Aaah! It is really hard to write for Rowena, for some strange and unknown reason. I hope you all like it, she can be a bit sarcastic like Salazar, seeing as I was kind of annoyed when I was writing it. Bleh, I don't want to talk about that anymore, on to the reviewers:

**Raven Echo-** Salazar is cool 8-) . Yes, he was stupid to blurt that out, but you didn't notice the uber important clue that makes everything good again. Oh well, you''l find out... but not in this chapter.

**FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYKings-** Thank you! So far Salazar is the most fun to write, I get to be sarcastic and evil :D .

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**Rowena's POV**

It's hard to be the fourth daughter in a family of nobility. I can just picture people laughing at me, if I was to tell them this- but they didn't understand, they couldn't understand. They didn't know what it was like to be me. And I know that if I were to voice this, people would think that I was a self-pitying young lady who was only out for attention and sympathy. But that's not who I am, that's not who I want to be. I just want someone, just once, to listen to me. Is that so hard?

My eldest sister, Mildred, is seventeen. She has never been able to produce magic, and so Mother would not allow her to be the heir to the family fortune. So at fifteen, she was married off to some rich duke twenty years older than her, and would soon give birth to her first child. The first child was always important, they were the heirs. I don't think Mildred ever minded that life that had been chosen for her, she was always too stupid for my liking, and horribly lazy.

Then there was my second eldest sister, Prosperity. She's fourteen years old as of two weeks ago, and hasn't let me forget it. Have you ever heard of the phrase, "an heir and a spare"? Well, Prosperity was that spare, because fortunately for my mother, Prosperity can produce magic. She is also a spoiled brat whose looks remind me very much of that of a pig. I've even told her so, more than once. And I've paid dearly for it. Prosperity is Mother's angel, everything my mother could have hoped for in a child- bossy and shrewd. She's not being married off too soon; my mother is trying to wed her to one of two certain people. But I'll talk about that later.

The third sister is thirteen year old Adela, the new "spare". She also can do magic as well. She's consumed with her good looks; I would not be surprised if I were to find her head was totally empty. She's quite gullible, and will believe anything my mother or Prosperity will tell her. She, like Prosperity, does not understand the concepts behind magic at all. And that lack of understanding suits her just fine.

Then there's me, ten year old Rowena Hufflepuff. Not the heir, not the spare. I'm just, I'm just there, I suppose. Little Rowena, with her nose stuck in the books from all over the world that her father brings back for her. Who is rude to her sisters, her mother, and anyone and every one of their friends. The daughter who might have the most potential in magic, but didn't care. Who had some good looks, of course, I did not embellish on them. I did not want to be noticed that way, the way my mother made herself and Mildred, Adela (and she even attempted) Prosperity noticed. I wanted to get attention for being me.

I suppose I still look like a self-righteous, self-centered little girl, crying out for attention. Really I'm not like that. At least, I don't think I am. I wouldn't know really, I'm no people person. Mostly I hide away in books, living through their adventures. Books have always been my source of salvation. When you hold a booking your hands, you hold all knowledge. At least, I think so. But never have I found the answer to why my mother decided to have me if she was going to ignore me all the time like this. Hence, the fourth daughter theory.

You see, the thing that I want most of all in the world is, is… is a friend. A real person, not just the people in books. Someone with real flesh, bone, and blood that was in danger, not just a person from history or fiction. A person who I could confide in, and who could confine in me. Was that truly so much to ask? I didn't think so.

I shut the book I was reading with a loud thud sound. Not even reading could make me feel less lonely now. It was frustrating- I wanted to ease a pain in my heart that just would not go away, and I didn't know how. I hated the not knowing part. Not knowing something always scared me.

Clutching the book to my chest, I walked meaningfully out the door. As if I had a place to go. Lunch had already been served, and lessons weren't due to resume for another hour. Apparently we were going to have two new students. I vaguely wondered who it would be.

It was while I was wondering that I crashed into someone, and dropped my book. I bent down to pick up my book- which was a real feat in the kind of dresses mother made us wear, I'll have you know.

"I am so sorry, miss, very sorry," the girl I had bumped into repeated over and over as she collected the laundry she had been carrying in a wicker basket. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a braid, and her clothing was little more than dirty rags. She was too afraid to look up at me. It was scary, that someone could be afraid of me, what did I ever do to make people afraid of me? But then I realized that this was my adopted big sister. Of course she would be afraid of me, constantly being bossed around by Mother, and Prosperity, when she had the chance. We hardly ever had any contact with each other, how could she know I was different from them?

"No harm done," I reassured her, trying to help her fold the clothes and put them back in the basket. But she pushed me away, preferring to do her work alone.

We stood up, facing each other. It was then I noticed how totally opposite of each other we were. She was a head taller than me, average weight, with a very fair-coloring. She was dressed in rags, holding a basket of other people's laundry in front of her. Then there was me, small and skinny, brown waves of hair pulled back in a half pony tail, decorated with jewels. My clothing was much finer (and probably much more uncomfortable) than hers, and I carried a book. She probably didn't even know how to read. I didn't know where the laundry was done. We were total and complete opposites.

It couldn't have been better.

"Rowena," I extended my hand out to her, stating my name, even though I was pretty sure that she knew it. But in all my books, giving your name and a hand to shake had always been a form of friendship.

She looked at my hand warily, as if expecting an insult or a prank to follow. After a moment of seriously scrutinizing my hand. I might have found it thoroughly amusing had not I wanted her to shake it. But finally she did. It was a light, cautious grip, but it was a handshake.

"So, Helga, where are you off to?" I asked, as if we were the best of friends and this was a common everyday question.

"I am going to take zis basket to zhe maid," she said slowly, still in disbelief, "Zhen I 'ave to get Salazar from 'is quarters."

I wondered who this Salazar boy was. A thief, a spy, a lover? Nah, it couldn't be that interesting, besides, Helga was only eleven after all. I was learning quickly that real life was not at all as exciting as books. That was something I would have to learn to deal with. But truly, I didn't mind. That much.

"Good," I said, "I'll come with you." Helga was really in no position to argue with me. I was the noble, and she the servant. Hey, there had to be some advantages to being in my position, right?

"Vell," she said prudently, "alright zhen, I guess you can come as well."

And a second later we were off in silent companionship. Helga seemed to be absorbed with her chore, and I really couldn't think of anything to say. Just trying to keep up with her was hard enough. She had longer strides than mine, and a quick pace that was almost impossible in this confounding dress. I swear, today I'll look up a way to make this dress unravel itself to bits of thread.

After stopping to drop of the laundry, we proceeded down many staircases I never knew even existed. Of course, this was the servants' area of the house, so there was really no reason for me to know about them. But the fact that there was a part of my home that I did not know made me curious about what else this castle hid from me.

"Vhat are magic lessons like?" asked Helga out of the blue. My spine went rigid- servants weren't supposed to know that. Our lessons were to be under the utmost secrecy. Of course, everyone knew that the every servant there ever was knows everything about everyone. Right now I wished to be a servant. Going unnoticed by the nobility, they fit in everywhere. They could go anywhere, learn anything, and no one would mind.

"Well I personally find them to be very easy. The theories of magic are quite interesting, yet quite complex. I've been delving into them for quite some time, and I still have not come to understand everything that I've read. And I'll assure you, I've read a lot. But personally, my favorite subject is Charms. It's so," I paused. WE were walking through a hallway where all the servant's dormitories were. They all smiled at Helga, but frowned when they saw me down there. A group of gossiping chamber maids silenced abruptly as they watched me walk by. Helga gave me a reassuring smile. Her smiles were contagious, and I smiled back. It was so good to finally have a friend for once in my life.

Finally we came upon the door of Salazar. Helga knocked upon it, and the door open quickly, as if he had been waiting for her. I would have liked to enter the room and see what the servants' rooms looked like, but that would not be polite. Besides, it was not right for a girl to go into a boy's room like that.

I finally took some time to observe the boy. I always have liked observing things. You get more knowledge from people by observing them then by asking directly. You can ask a person if they are lying, and they may say no. But if they start stuttering, or twitching, or some other telltale sign, then you know they must be lying. Another one of my better theories. You may wonder why and when I've come up with all these theories. As a ten year old recluse, let me tell you, you have all the time in the world to come up with any theory you like.

Okay, back to observing. The boy looked completely out of place in peasant clothes. He had an aristocratic air about him, a very stately looking face. He kept himself a lot cleaner than the average peasant, especially his long raven hair. He looked at me, and I realized I was staring, and abruptly turned my head to look away.

"Salazar, 'ave you met Rowena yet?" asked Helga cheerfully, but didn't wait for a reply, "Rowena, zis is Salazar Slyzherin, he works in zhe stables, and Salazar, meet, Rowena Hufflepuff." I held out my hand to shake. And boy did he have a strong grip. Well touché horse boy, so do I. He seemed taken a back by my crushing grip, but did not let go. His dark eyes stared straight into my hazel ones. It was like a power fight or something like that, to see who the better of us two was. And I never did like to lose.

Helga didn't seem to know what to do, so she spoke, "Vell, vhy don't ve go to zhe class now?" I was confused. Mornings were devoted to the lessons any child of nobility would need to know, literacy, history, and etiquette, among other abilities needed to run a household. Afternoons were for practicing magic. But this would mean that Helga and Salazar were a witch and wizard. So they were the two new students in class. I wondered why Helga had never started earlier; she had been in the family as long as I could remember. Probably it had something to do with mother…

Salazar nodded smoothly, and I said my 'okay'. Together we walked up those retched stairs, Helga humming, Salazar walking ahead and me behind. Every once in a while Helga would have to call him to stop and wait for me. He seemed annoyed by this; obviously he was not a patient person.

And just when all was going smoothly, and we were almost in the classroom, a voice came from behind us.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here. Seems like little Rowena's finally found her place… with the scullery maid and the servant boy," said a snobbish snickering voice, which could only be Prosperity. I turned around to see her and Adela the airhead snickering. I think now would be a very good time

"Coming from such an asinine, deplorable, and altogether vile person such as yourself, who is completely unworthy of my or anyone else's time, that doesn't hold much credit," I said sharply, glaring at her, "And you Adela, I won't bother telling you what you are, as you have no chance of ever comprehending it in your ignorant and superficial lifetime." After letting off all that steam, I turned around and started walking again to class. Salazar gave a smirk and followed my lead. Helga, looking almost as confused as my sisters, gave them one last glance before following us, leaving my sisters to contemplate what I had just said to them.

I have a feeling they'll be there for a while.


	6. Her Very Own Spell

**Chapter 6: Her Very Own Spell**

Salazar POV

Well, wasn't she the daring noble lady? No honestly, how man girls of her status would ever get caught with people lower than her, and then, not only defend them, but insult those of equal status? Strange values, this family has.

But, on the better note, I see that she is quite the intellectual, especially for one so young. She was easily able to baffle those older sisters of hers, although I have a feeling that they were moronic to begin with. No matter, she is a young, smart, rude, but rich little witch. I suppose that with the right molding that she'll make the best wife of all her sisters, which is the most a woman could really amount to anyway. But somehow I doubt that she plans for marriage in her future. No, she seems like she is a rebellious idiot who will throw it all away. Pity for her.

You may ask how I know all this. Well, I'll tell you. I am me, Salazar Slytherin after all. I do not like to talk much, seeing as it is much easier to get what you want to know by simply listening. And of course no one ever suspects we quiet people to present any danger to them. And that in itself is the most dangerous thing about us.

Magical lessons have been, well, interesting to say the least. Basically, it's Miss Prosperity and Miss Adela giggling, and being overall successful at everything, Miss Rowena hardly giving a care as she read books on more advanced spells and lazily produced the ones our tutor asked of us, and Helga paying the utmost attention to our tutor, hanging on his every word, and still struggled the most of us all. If I were her position, (and gladly, I'm not) I would definitely ask for assistance, or a better wand. But she chooses to do everything herself, completely focused on the task at hand, giving it all that she's got, and still produces absolutely nothing. Personally, I think she should just give up. Why try so hard at something you obviously cannot do?

And then of course, I think about what she did to that tavern, and I bite my tongue. Of course, I don't do that literally, because that would hurt, and why would I ever purposely hurt myself?

I was very lucky in that tavern, because I unfortunately had lost some of my tact. I had mentioned a small, important little thing… alright, so it was a large thing. I had mentioned magic. And at first, right after I realized it, I thought I was a dead man walking. Not so. For you see, there was a very good reason that most people missed that tavern, as if they didn't see it at all. It was simply because _they didn't see it_ at all. Yes, we magical people have ways of concealing our places of living, if we so choose. Whether it be a castle, a cottage, or a tavern. Get my point? I hope so.

So that meant that anything I said didn't surprise the men at the tavern. With a flash of their wands, almost everything was fixed. See, if they were Muggles, they would be stupid and anger first and yell at Helga, although now I think that it was all an accident. But because they were not Muggles, and were of course much more sophisticated then them. They knew what had happened, fixed it, and all was good. No pointless chaos that would have occurred if they'd been Muggles.

But, I doubt you only want to hear my memoirs, my thoughts. Although, they are quite interesting, aren't they? I'll get on with my story now anyway.

So, it's a year later, now. I am fourteen, Helga will be turning twelve soon, and Rowena just turned eleven. Rowena and Helga have become good friends. Rowena wanted to be friends to rebel against her mother, and Helga just that nice and sappy sort who would befriend anybody. Then there is me. I suppose, I suppose that they would consider me to be their friend too. We always do spend time together, when Helga and I aren't working. Of course, Rowena was able to manipulate Helga's schedule so she would have more chances to see Rowena. You can't really do that for a stable hand, like me. But I do spend time talking to Helmfried. He's a solemn sort of guy, I think because he lost most of his family. It's kind of pathetic, to be honest, sure it's sad, but there is more to life than mourning the dead. Oh Merlin, I'm getting poetic, as Rowena would say. No need for that. Especially not when there's important business to be discussed.

Of course, you wouldn't think it to be important. Who would think two pre-teen girls and a stable boy had anything important to discuss in an abandoned stable? But that in itself made it the perfect hide out. Get my meaning? You better, otherwise you certainly aren't up to par.

"You brought the food, Helga?" asked Rowena, who looked very out of place in a fancy green dress as she sat on a haystack.

Helga nodded guiltily, "I still feel bad about it, tzough. It ees stealing, after all."

"Oh nonsense," Rowena waved a hand at her, "It would be going to Prosperity and Adela anyway. Adela hardly ever eats, and Merlin knows Prosperity doesn't need the weight." Helga smiled weakly, but she has always been so soft-hearted, it was obvious it was forced. I think that Helga has no backbone whatsoever, some days.

"Can we just start talking about whatever it is you brought us here to talk about? Some of us have jobs to do," said a very annoyed me.

"Oh, relax old man," Rowena rolled her eyes at me; "can't you let us have a bit of fun?" I sneered at her with a lot of annoyance. She drove me crazy sometimes, and she knew it all too well. I think she did it on purpose.

"Just go on with it," I said, shifting in my pile of hay. The other reason, the real reason I wanted to get out of here was because it was so dirty in the old barn. Even Helmfried and I were hardly in here anymore. In other words, it was really, really disgusting.

"Okay, now that the old man is out to ruin our fun. I'll get to the point. There's to be a wizarding convention over this summer. In lamest terms, it's to get us to pair up to increase the population. There's also another reason," she added, as just daring any one of us to ask her. I didn't have time for her stupid little games.

"You were saying," I asked expectantly. Rowena pulled a handful of straw from her haystack and threw it at me. Because of its poor aerodynamics, however, it didn't get that far. Rowena let out a frustrated growl, and Helga just smiled helpfully.

"Anyone ever tell you how infuriating you are- don't answer that," she added quickly, "Well, I accidentally overheard Mum talking about it with Prosperity. There's a prophecy or something that says of a group of wizards, like, ten of them or something, from our generation. There's something important about finding these witches and wizards. Don't know why though, Mummy didn't say. But we're going to be leaving London for a while, out to the country! I know you'll like that, Helga."

Helga smiled. We all knew that Helga loved to be outside, and had a slight phobia of being in closed in areas. It seemed as if she were born to be in the country, not a maid in London. Her brother was the same way, always dreaming of life back in Germany. Helga never talked about Germany like Helmfried did. But it was not uncommon to catch her staring out a window wistfully for a moment, then turn back to her work.

"Ven do ve leave?" asked Helga, "Are you sure zhat I must go? I'm not all zhat good in magicks."

"Helga, come off it," I said, "Everyone knows one you get a spell right, you can even do it better than Rowena and I at times."

Rowena gave me an appreciative glance. We both knew that it was very rare that Helga outdid Rowena and I. But she was the most consistent in spell work, once she had it down.

"It's going to be lovely! Helga, I already sent some maids to buy you dresses, you'll look lovely. It's for children only, so Mum won't be there to bother us. So we can taunt and torture Prosperity and 'Dela all we want!" Helga gave her a reproving look, "Don't worry, I won't be that bad. But it will be good to be out from under Mum's nose for a summer."

Well, that was all nice for them. Note how she didn't mention me getting anything. I don't care, really I don't… okay, so maybe I do, a little. I just hope that Helga doesn't bring up because knowing her, she'll…

"Did you get anyzhing for Salazar?" asked Helga. I glared daggers at her; I don't think she realized, either that or she didn't care. I was sick of being a charity case; I was going to be rich and powerful one day after all.

"Salazar who?" asked Rowena cluelessly, with a mischievous smile.

"Rowena!" scolded Helga, getting up from her own hay pile and approaching Rowena's. Notice how neither of them bother to ask if I care, which I don't. Shut up!

"Okay, okay, hold your horses! I've sent for things for Salazar too, don't worry," she said giggling, "Not that I'd want to. He'd blow me up if I didn't anyway, so it was a necessity, really."

I glared again. I would not blow her up if she forgot to get me anything! Honestly, I didn't care about it at all. Besides, if I blew her up, I wouldn't have a place to study magic anymore. How would I get to be rich and powerful then? If it were in another position, well maybe it would be different. Maybe.

Helga stared out the glassless window of the stable. The sun was beginning to set. It was kind of pretty and all, but the light was getting in my eye, which was really vexing.

"I have to go back to the castle. Dinner doesn't prepare itself, and Rosemunde won't be happy if I'm late… again," said Helga, brushing hay off her very dirty dark dress with one hand and pulling a piece of straw out of her braid with the other. I felt my stomach grumble. But I wouldn't be getting dinner until long after the Hufflepluff had finished their dinner. The maids and servants and we stable boys would be getting whatever was left from their abundant feasts.

"See, you bohtz tomorrow," she said smiling as she put on the yellow cloak of the Hufflepuffs.

"Buh-bye," waved Rowena. For a moment there was silence. Rowena and I had never been alone unattended anywhere before. Get those dirty thoughts out of your mind people, she's not that pretty. Besides, I would never think about her like that. Gees.

"Salazar?" she asked. Stupid question to ask, really. You'd think by now she'd have gotten my name straight.

"What do you want?" I asked. She was probably going to ask one of those really stupid and annoying questions of hers, as usual. Then how come she looked so serious?

She was apparently having some sort of inner struggle. This was frustrating for me- if she wanted to say something to me, just say it! It's not like she hadn't done it before.

She shrieked.

No not Rowena, she wasn't the shrieking type. It was Helga. Rowena's eyes widened. She reached for her wand, and without a second thought she was out the door.

It kind of annoyed me. Yes, Helga was out there, shrieking for some reason- but why couldn't Rowena at least say what she was going to say before she was off, I didn't know. It would have been at least polite of her. Sometimes I wonder where that girl learned her manners. Oh yeah, from the same person her pig of a sister did. Things are starting to make more sense around here.

I pulled my own wand out of the pocket in my coat and ran out to follow her. I was bigger and stronger (of course) so it wasn't long until I was running alongside of Rowena. I was beginning to have a strong feeling of dread, something was definitely wrong.

And that's when I saw the thing. It was like nothing I've ever seen before, not a human, nor beast. It was tall and thin, and wore a long dark cloak. Its hands were scabby and decayed, just as its face was. It was disgusting to look at, with nothing at all in its eye sockets, it made my skin crawl. It held a very fearful looking Helga in its arms. I turned to Rowena. She looked scared as well, but was giving it a calculating look, muttering to herself. And all I'm thinking at this very moment is, 'What the hell is that thing?'.

"So therefore, the usage of the two words together…" Rowena's muttering got louder as her face lit up with excitement.

"What the devil are you talking about?" I asked, perplexed. It was right then and there that Rowena Hufflepuff created her very first original spell.

"Expectonion Partronum!" she shouted, waving her wand at it. I had never heard that spell, it sounded foreign to my ears. I rubbed my eyes as I saw a white cloud with blurred wings fly towards Helga and the… the thing. It knocked back the creature, and Helga immediately ran towards us. We all in turn ran back to the safety of the abandoned stable, locking the door behind us. We three stood their for a moment, catching our breathes.

"What, the hell, was that thing- and that, that spell?" I asked incoherently between breathes, "What were those?" I expected some long and complicated answer from the little witch, on what that was and how she had made that spell and calculated all those factors so quickly.

Rowena shrugged at me, "Honestly? No idea."

Some answer.

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**Author's Note:** Gahhh! That was short. I've been preoccupied with lots of tests lately, what with the end of school coming up and all. I can't wait for June 24, no more eighth grade for me. Oh by the way, the Patronus is the wrong incantation for a reason maniacal laughter. On the upside, I got a 100 on my Social Studies final. Sure there was a ten point curve, but only four people in the grade got 100+. And I just got some more songs from Sugarcult. As you can see, I am very happy right now XD.

**RavenEcho:** Heheh, lazy is me using my computer chair to get around the house.

**FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYKings:** Thanks! Godric, Godric, Godric, well as you could see, he wasn't here either. He'll be popping up in the next few chapters. Actually, the way he comes in will be kind of amusing.

**Halfblood princess and Summer:** Someone forgetting about my infiority complex? Tsk Tsk, Skyla, I'm ashamed. Oh by the way, thanks for the Spanish studying stuffies! Me likes!


	7. Meeting Melinda

**Jessi Brooke: **I'm alive! It's been over a month, I feel horrible about it- but so much has happened. I read HBP of course, it was great... I especially loved the parts with the founders :D I hate writer's block, but a combo of the sixth book and listening to the All-American Rejects(which has nothing whatsoever to do with Harry Potter, yet somehow it helped) got me back and typing.

**RemmieRemskie:** Thanks! Good tastes in bands, by the way, I was reading your profile...

**Allela:** You're absolutely right about the spells that wouldn't let the witches burn. I just assumed that like all other things, magic evolves and more and more is discovered over time, so that maybe not so many people, or maybe no one at all knows about it at this point. Though, Helga will be having some fun with that later...

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**Rowena's POV**

Right now I am feeling very claustrophobic. Adela, Prosperity, Helga, Salazar and I are all cramped into one carriage meant for only four people, and that doesn't sound too bad, if you forget to mention that we're also stuck with all of the luggage. Adela and Prosperity's things make up for more than half of the luggage, with all of Adela's clothes and all of Prosperity's beauty products that never seem to work on her. And let me tell you, that is no fun. Prosperity's incessant snoring is driving me insane, Adela's playing with her hair again. Helga's drawn back the curtain of one of the window, resting her head on the windowsill and looking outside, and spacing out. Salazar's sitting right next to me, doing well, nothing really. Odd, but lately I've been getting very strange and foreign feelings whenever he sits next to me. I couldn't tell you why though, and that's the frustrating part. I hate not knowing why about anything, it drives me nuts.

I'm trying to read this book on magical creatures. I'm trying to figure out what that weirdo living-dead thing was that attacked Helga. No one believed me when I got home, not even my magical instructor. So instead of asking for their assistance, I had to look through the family library, alone. I couldn't even ask for Helga or Salazar's help, because Helga doesn't know that I'm researching anyway and Salazar doesn't know how to read very well and would probably tease me for going straight to the books for answers anyway. I'm afraid to tell Helga, because she's been rather spooked ever since the whole situation took place. Best not to remind her, if possible. That would only make things worse.

"Are we there yet?" asked Adela of no one in particular, examining the ends of her hair. I let out a breath of frustration.

"If we're still moving, we're not there yet, now are we."

"Oh," she said tossing back her long dark locks and now turning to examine her nails, "You shouldn't be rude, you know."

"Who said I was?" I asked irritably, not even looking up from my book. I could feel Adela lifting her eyes to look up at me, staring with confusion.

"Wait," she said, "Weren't you… just before… didn't you say…?"

"Forget it, Addie," I growled. Her reply was silence. Apparently she had gone back to examining her hair or something else on that level. Understanding sarcasm was never her strong point.

Suddenly Helga turned around, facing the rest of the compartment, cheeks rosy from the sun during the part of our journey in daylight, "Rowena, Salazar- look outzhide! It'z incredible!" I closed my book, and before you know it, Salazar and Addy were looking out one window, and Helga and I were looking out the opposite one. Prosperity was still snoring, in case you wanted to know. In which case, I suggest you get something interesting to do in your life, as wondering about Prosperity's doings can be utterly boring.

My jaw dropped as I looked at the view. It was night, and the stars in the country sky seemed to be more numerous and brighter than back in London. On top of a hill was a large white castle, and countless carriages were circling it, dropping off young witches and wizards. Even Salazar had to be impressed. He is always acting as if he is too good for the rest of the world, which is kind of amusing, seeing the position that he is in. But he had to be impressed by this. Who wouldn't be?

The carriage pulled up to the entrance of the castle. Within moments the footman opened the door and held out a hand to help each of them down.

"Oldest first!" said Prosperity, who had suddenly awoken from her slumber and shoved me to the side. I glared at my sister angrily, muttering dark things under my breath.

"Come, Rowena, let's go," said Helga cautiously. She had a strange habit of always knowing what I was feeling that often disconcerted the both of us.

House elves came to collect our things, and Helga watched the warily, "How can ones so small carry all zhat luggage?"

I shrugged at her, "It's their job, and seeing as you're a guest here, not a servant, and it's best that you let them do their job. Here, we're equals. Not that we weren't before," I added, "But now, it's official." She looked confused by my remark for a moment, then smiled as we entered the great white castle. The inside was even more remarkable than the exterior. It was a castle made of completely marble, it was humongous, made in the old Roman style from back in their glory days as an Empire. There were impressive paintings of humans and magic on the walls, and they moved. Enchanted, Helga seemed to slip away from reality as she stared at them all with awe.

"Watch it," said a haggard looking redhead as she knocked Helga down and went on her way.

"Nice people," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I helped Helga up to her feet. We made our way through the crowd to a large piece of parchment a group of kids were crowded around. As we got closer, we saw that it was a map of the place and rooming assignments in red ink. Elbowing people out of my way I got closer to it and looked for Helga's and my own name.

We were in separate rooms. Not only that, we were in separate hallways. Worst of all, I was stuck with my sisters and two other girls who sounded like a complete bore, seeing as they came from the wealthier families. This had to do with the money issue, I assumed. Everything always did. Stupid society. Helga shared her room with seven other girls that I had never heard of. It was rude, really, seeing as Helga was supposed to have been adopted into the family, and yet we were given totally different statuses.

"You're coming with me," I said decisively, grabbing Helga's hand and leading her away. She started to protest, but it didn't matter. No way was I going to face these snobs alone. Helga wasn't the cleverest person in the world, nor the strongest, or the wittiest. But it helped to have someone who believed you were more than some good-for-nothing bookworm around.

I walked into a large grandeur room completely adorned in pink. The rugs, the bed sheets, the curtains, everything was pink. It was horribly disgusting, I hated the color. Sure everything was first rate and probably terribly expensive, but it was so pink, it made me sick to look at it. This was the place that I would have to stay for at least the next week. Besides that, I would have very little privacy from my sisters, and Helga would be far away. Joy.

"They let you take your maid with you? My mother wouldn't let me, she said it wasn't proper for a maid to sleep in the same room as her mistress," I turned around to see a petite girl about Helga's age with bouncy brown curls looking at me. Her wardrobe matched the interior decorations. Yuck.

"She's my best friend, thank you very much," I turned around with a stubborn look on my face. Helga opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it. The bouncy-haired girl laughed at me, and in made me quite infuriated. You won't like me when I'm infuriated, count on that.

"Oh, how charitable of you, spending time with the indigent!" she giggled, and then turned to Helga, "Maid, unpack my things." Helga looked at me questionably, but my eyes were set at a glare at the other girl. I suppose it was then that my sisters and the other girls entered the room. I wouldn't know, I wasn't paying much attention.

"Don't you dare boss around Helga like that," I said, fingering for my wand in my cloak.

"And don't you dare threaten Melinda Thompson," she said, her blithe expression turning cold as she pointed her cedar wand at my chest. Since when had we started referring to ourselves in third person? This was war.

"Or what?" I challenged her, pulling out my own wand.

"Don't do zhis, Rowe," Helga whispered in my ear. It didn't matter what she said though, as I was set on transfiguring this girl to kingdom come.

"Listen to little miss rags over there," she smirked, "She knows what's best for you." I growled, and it was at this time that my sisters let their presence be known.

"Porcnasus!" I cried, aiming my spell at little Miss I-talk-in-third-person. It was a spell to turn her upturned nose into a pig's nose, make her outer appearance resemble the person she truly was inside. And then one of my sisters, chasing after a fallen wand, got in the way.

If it had been Prosperity, it wouldn't have mattered much, seeing as she already looked like a pig. But of course, this was my luck we were talking about, and it was Adela that had interfered. Pretty little Adela with her perfect features and empty brain. Mum was going to have a fit. Pity I wouldn't be there to see it.

"My nose," she shrieked, her hands moving to her face in an attempt to conceal her quickly growing nose, "Change it! Change it back now, Rowe!"

Little Miss I-talk-in-third-person (now really, who does that?) hurriedly ran to my sister's side, apparently trying to get on my sisters' good side by trying to appear as if she cared about what happened to Addie, getting back into suck-up mode, as she had been with me earlier. But the attempt was so overly saccharine; it was surprising that even my sisters would believe it.

"Oh, you poor, poor thing," she patted my sister's back, "To have to put up with that wench of a sister for all of your life. How ever do you bare it?"

"Rowe, you little imbecile- I'm writing back home to mum about this- you'll be sorry," Prosperity walked right up to me so that I could feel her smelly breath on my faced and glared, "You made her look like a pig." Well, I really do have to thank my sister for stating the obvious. I mean, that was what the spell was intended for; Prosperity had been there when we had been taught it in lessons. Although, whether she actually learned and remembered it was a whole different thing entirely.

"Well, that _was_ what the spell was supposed to do," I replied, raising an eyebrow innocently, "although, I do think she looks more like you, actually."

It took a moment for that to set in Prosperity's tiny little pig-like mind, before she started fuming. She raised her wand up at me, preparing to hit me with a spell. I have to say that I was a bit curious as to what spell she would choose, but-

"Normenasus," said Helga in a calm and cool demeanor, waving her wand at Prosperity's face, restoring her nose, "Zhere, now her nose ees back to normal, and ve have notzing to fight about."

I stared at Helga, for a moment I had forgotten she was there. Adela already had a mirror in hand, examining her nose. And I must say that Helga did a find job in fixing it. Helga always surprised me once in a while with a spark of magical expertise.

There was silence in the dormitory for a moment, seeing as Helga was right- there _was_ nothing to fight about. Very clever when it came to stopping arguments and the like, that girl.

"I'm still writing a letter home to Mum," said Prosperity begrudgingly, already turning to her things, pulling out a new dress. Adela and Melinda were already chattering about something equally as boring as dresses. It was as if they all wanted to forget Helga and my own existences.

"Come on, Helga," I said, "We still haven't seen your room," I trudged out of the pink room, hurrying to the door. Anything to get out of there, really, just anything at all. Helga, as usual followed me.

"I can't stand them I just can't stand them," I muttered angrily, "I don't really care what mother does, she won't send a Howler for fear of besmirching the family name, and she won't take me home because she won't want to put up with me. But I can't stand them anymore, Prosperity, Addie, and now that Melinda girl. There has to be something we can do about it."

We walked in companionable silence for a moment or two, or as silent as it could get with dozens of us guests milling about the corridors. We overheard a conversation about dinner, which was to be in two hours.

"Rowe?" Helga asked, fidgeting with her braid, "I zhink you should go back to your room, and I to mine, to prepare for dinner."

"Prepare for dinner," I repeated absentmindedly, and then my eyes lit up, "Helga- you're a genius!"

"Huh?"

"I know what to do about Prosperity and Addie," I grinned maliciously, "Prosperity isn't going to know what's hit her, and best part, she can't do anything about it."


	8. Godric and the Banshee Jester Princess

**Jessi Brooke: **Hola! Back from vacation, and with a new chapter. Airplanes- not fun to write on when random sick people are sitting next to you. Godric was tricky enough to write on his own, without random sick people to cough on the paper. So glad to be home by the computer and writing!

**FanFictionFantom**: Thanks for your review!

**RavenEcho**: Eh, last chapter was boring to write, which probably had to do something with how well it came out…

**FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYKings**: Ooh, Rowena has lots of fun. Helga won't though… you'll see…

**Clearly Clayr:** CC is always welcome, so rambling is fine! I think the problem with Helga's accent, is that I haven't heard a German accent in months, so my memory on that is kind of fuzzy. Hmm, maybe I'll just write what she says without the accent, and then write something like 'she answered in an accent' or something like that. I'll also keep that thing about tenses in my mind. Thanks for your review!

**Gcshipper:** Well, Godric's finally in the picture- along with family.

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"Godric!" a high-pitched voice screamed as a hyper eight-year old stormed into my bedchambers. Good Merlin, Gennie had found me again. With all the adults and servants and other people I had foiled with my convenient hiding spot, little Gwenhyfar Gryffindor could not be foiled.

"Godric, you dolt, get up!" she screamed, taking the covers in her two small hands and throwing them off the bed. I groaned and covered my head with an overly stuffed crimson pillow. I was already in my dress robes, you see, I knew there was a party, I'm no idiot. But after quite a bit of adventure, a lad can get tired, right? Of course right. And I had the right to sleep in my bed without being disturbed by little hindrances like my cousin, right? Right. I knew you'd see things my way. The wench followed me everywhere I went, attempting to mimic my every move. And let me tell you, trying to be like me is very difficult.

There was silence in the room for the moment, but in my mind's eye I could see that girl putting her hands on her hips and clucking in much too much a maternal way than was normal for her age.

"Fine," she said, "If you don't want to get up, I'll just have to tell Mummy we don't want to sup with all the children downstairs. We'll have a servant bring us up food and eat our meals here. Then you can tell me stories and maybe after we can go down to the kitchens to annoy the head cook like you did last week when Mummy sent me to the tailor because the dolt couldn't get my measurements right and-"

"I'm up!" I declared, suddenly popping out of bed with a new found energy. Gennie had started her ranting again, and her ranting could go on for hours and hours, I've seen her do it. Sometimes I do wonder where in the world such a small person like her could get all that energy. Besides, I didn't want to have to eat all alone with her. That was cruel and unusual punishment.

"Good," there was a hint of her smirk on her chubby face as she tucked a lock of auburn hair behind her ear. "You ought to change into new dress robes. If Mummy saw you attend the ball all messy and wrinkled like that, she'd throw a fit!"

Aunty Esma. She was a prude, kind, but a prude. Strict as anything, yet she was always kind to me, made me feel as if I were her own son, and not the son of a father who only spoke to me when it was of any use to him.

"No she won't," I corrected my younger and much mover naïve cousin as I led her down the corridor, "She'll be pleasantly surprised I bothered to dress up and attend her party at all."

Gennie's eyes narrowed for a moment, as if she didn't believe me, then shrugged, "If you say it, then it must be so."

"Of course it's so, if I'm saying it. I am me, after all," I grinned down at my cousin. Poor girl, caught between copying me- which was a very hard thing to do indeed- and her mother- which I think is a very boring thing to do, indeed. Indeed. I like that word, it's fun to say… indeed. Indeed, indeed, indeed, indeed.

"Godric!" reached up to slap the side of my face to get my attention, "Look- down the corridor." My eyes followed the direction she pointed at and narrowed. Ahead of them were a group of five big, strong-looking boys clothed in robes that signified that they were noble surrounding one much smaller boy who, by the looks of his clothes, obviously was not. Instantly I felt an angry fire burning in my heart. Just because they were noble and he was not didn't make them any better than he. And five to one was a very cowardly fight.

"Stay here," I said to Gennie, as I stomped toward the fight. Young ladies, even young ladies who were trying to be like me, should not get into fights. This was a man's job.

"I will not, and you shan't stop me," she said defiantly, cutting in front of him, "Otherwise, I might just have to tell Mummy what you were doing the other night when-"

"Alright, you can come," I growled, "But don't you dare say anything, get in my way, do anything to encourage them or do anything that will get yourself hurt- I'll kill you."

She nodded, but muttered something about my being "overprotective" or something like it. Hey, I'm the only one allowed to get into fights around here. Besides, Aunty Esma would skin me alive if even one hair on Gennie's pretty little head was out of place.

"Hey!" I called to the boys loudly, "You really shouldn't be picking on him." Okay, not the best line ever, but it caught there attention. They turned and they looked down on me, all of them looked older than my fourteen years of age.

"And just who do you think you are to talk to us in such a fashion?" snickered the biggest and ugliest, obviously their leader. It's always the ugliest one, isn't it? I've always wondered about why that was.

"Well," I said, acting as if I didn't know what they were talking about, "When I was a lad of just five years, I thought I was Merlin- but my nanny, Ar, quickly corrected that after about a week of trying to stick my sword toy made of wood into different stones and splintering it to pieces. She was always very kindly; it was a pity when she died," the boy glared at me, and I feigned realization, "Oh, you actually wanted to know who I was? Why, I'm Godric Gryffindor- the person who's about to hex your sorry asses to oblivion. How does that sound?" With a glare I pulled my wand out from my scarlet robes and pointed it at the boy's heart. He looked taken aback, and somewhat afraid. Good.

"Did you- did you just say your surname was Gryffindor?" the ugly group leader stuttered in surprise. His other friends (or should I say lackeys?) looked nervous too.

I gave a half grin, half smirk and a nod as reply, my wand still pointed at their leader. All of them were here on a combination of an extremely reasonable fee and a lot of Gryffindor hospitality, as it was our castle we were in. Surrounded by bogs and the like, our home in the moor was probably the best place for so many wizards and witches to congregate during times like these. Hmm, I had forgotten that up until this point. It might have been an easier approach to just threaten them in that manner. Oh well, threatening with my wand was more fun anyway.

"Well, we'll just be on our way then," a boy in the back laughed nervously, and dashed off, followed by the rest of the lackeys- leaving just their leader. Now outmatched, their leader looked much less brave than before. Coward.

"If I find out that you are not who you claim to be, I'll… you'll pay," he made his last remarks, backing off. I only advanced closer, pressing the tip of my wand to his throat.

"And if I find out that I really am Merlin, I'll let you know," I said sarcastically, putting my wand away, "Now leave my sight before I stop feeling so merciful."

The boy nodded and dashed out of my sight. It's funny when people do as I say.

"You stole the entire Merlin trauma from when I was six years old and delirious from illness," Gennie looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

"And the dolt will never question me about it. After all, the story had a nice flair to it, did it not?" I challenged my cousin and little apprentice. She merely rolled her eyes.

It was at that point that I reminded myself of the whole reason I had gotten myself into this whole confrontation was to help the other boy. I turned to him; he looked about my age, only paler and skinnier than I. His dark hair was pulled back neatly into a ponytail, and he wore robes that were barely more than rags.

"The name's Godric Gryffindor," I extended my arm out to him, "And I apologize that those excuses for wizards were bothering you in my home."

The boy took my hand it shook it, but sneered, "Salazar Slytherin, and I guess you're the noble, chivalrous type. Well, thank you for all your help- though I could have gotten by very well on my own."

"On your own? You were cornered and outnumbered five to one!" I exclaimed incredulously. People these days- not even accepting help from others!

"Well if you could do it, I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to hold my own," he said, all calm and cool-like. Which, might I add, was very frustrating.

"But you!" I stopped myself short. Maybe it was because he was totally different from me, maybe it was because he was the first person my own age that didn't seem to be a coward, but there was something I liked about this Salazar Slytherin.

"You know, Salazar, I think this could be the start of a strange, yet interesting friendship. What say you?" I asked, my face in a grin. He stared at me disbelievingly, as if he was questioning whether or not I was sound of mind.

"Well, I suppose I don't see any harm in it," he sighed, forcing himself to smile. Which looked very sinister, on his face by the way.

Gennie punched my shoulder, hard, "Introduce me, Godric!" Fore a moment I had forgotten she was there.

"Oh yes," I said as I rubbed my shoulder, "This is my younger and even odder cousin, Gwenhyfar Gryffindor."

"How do you do?" Salazar held out his hand awkwardly, as if he was not used to this gesture.

"My name is Gennie," she corrected as she shook his hand vigorously, "Only Mummy calls me by my full name."

Salazar winced at the strength of her grip, and rubbing his hands together replied that he would be sure to remember that.

"Can we go to the feast now?" I asked impatiently, "I'm getting hungry."

"Should I be assuming that you're one to always follow the wishes of your stomach?" asked Salazar dryly.

I grinned at him again, "Definitely! Now, let's go to the feast and create some havoc!"

It took me about five minutes to figure out that besides being a time to eat, a feast is just a way for the rich to show off their lavish clothing, and poor people to feel smaller and more insignificant than usual. There were about three hundred of us, kids ranging from ages six to sixteen, clothing ranging from rags to riches. The people seemed to group accordingly, the lasses who hadn't yet been betrothed trailing after the lads of their status or higher. Some people knew each other already, while the rest were only just meeting. But I did notice that we were the only group of people fraternizing with someone viewed by society as lower than our status. People were such prudes these days.

"Godric Gryffindor? Is that you?" said a male voice from behind me. Spinning around, I turned to see two boys and two girls. The boy farthest to my left, who had spoken to me looked to be the oldest, short and stalky, he had short black curly hair and mischievous gray eyes. His friend seemed to be a year or so younger than I, but was taller and lankier than him, red hair sat messily atop his head, and he was covered in so many freckles it looked as if he had been badly burnt by the sun. The two girls in matching pale pink dress robes appeared to be sisters, one looked like a pig, and the other looked very delicate, as if she could break at any moment.

"The name's Leofric Tate and this is my friend Raedan Weasley. I think we met once, when about six summers ago; when my father brought me here for Council meetings," the stalky boy explained, "Oh, and this is Addy, and her sister, Prosperity. Addy and I are betrothed, to be married next fall."

Leofric Tate, Leofric Tate, now where had I heard that name before… oh yes when I was eight, and he was ten, we had created double the havoc I ever could on my own. My eyes brightened with recognition.

"I do know you!" I exclaimed, shook his hand eagerly and then shook the hand of Raedan. "Oh, and this is Salazar Slytherin and my cousin, Gwenhyfar Gryffindor." I grinned, knowing exactly what would come next.

Gennie glared at me and corrected, not withholding any anger, "Gennie, for the umpteenth time, I preferred to be called Gennie."

"Ah. Well, anyway," and Leofric drawled on into his life story, to which I paid no attention whatsoever. For, about two yards away, I noticed strange rustling in the burgundy curtains. Now, curtains were inanimate objects, and inanimate objects usually didn't rustle unless there was something animate making them rustle. See how smart I can be when I choose to be? It was confirmed that I wasn't going insane when I saw a wand poke out from behind the curtains as some sort of spell was whispered. But in the blink of the eye, the wand was gone from sight.

"And then I said… Addy? Addy, what's happening to your face?" a concerned Leofric turned to his betrothed. Something was definitely wrong with her face. For as the moments passed, the make up she wore got brighter and brighter, until she began to look like a princess of jesters. Biting at the inside of my cheek, I tried very hard not to laugh. I turned to say something to Salazar, but he had already disappeared.

I turned back at the chaos that took place before me. Addy's hair was now standing up at all ends- making her look like a banshee jester princess. The shrill shriek she gave when her sister handed her a small mirror only added to the effect. Running away didn't seem to work for her, as it seemed that her feet were stuck to the floor. Leofric, who looked just as embarrassed as she, tried to pull her by the arms away from the scene.

But the chaos wasn't over with just Addy as a victim. Her sister, who looked very much like a pig, but whose name I couldn't place, started snorting and making pig like sounds, such as "oink". Well, somebody out there obviously agreed with me that the girl resembled the pig.

"Oink, oink- what in the world- oink- HELP!" she demanded. Shouldn't have said that, though. For as soon as she uttered the word 'help' it seemed to set off some other sort of spell. Starting at the roots of her hair, going all the way down to the ends, her hair began to turn a very bright shade of pink. Awesome- I wanted to learn how to do that.

Heads all over the feasting hall turned to see what the ruckus was. And, upon seeing what was going, they all burst into laughter. Leofric, Addy, and Prosperity froze, and Raedan, Gennie, and I all shifted uncomfortably away from the scene.

"Mummy and Daddy are coming," Gennie whispered loudly, "Whoever started all of this is going to get it!" Strangely enough, she very angry at whoever it was who had pulled this prank. You know, maybe she should be spending more time with me; she's getting to be too much like her mother.

And then, all of the sudden, everything stopped. The oinking, the shrieking, everyone's hair was back to normal, and the jester banshee princess had gone back to normal just as quickly as she had transformed. She and Leofric toppled over and fell to the ground as Gennie, Raedan and I back away from the scene. If Aunty Esma saw Gennie and I involved in this sort of a mess, there was no telling what she would do.

So, as Aunty went to go and reprimand Leofric and the sisters (I did feel bad for Leofric having to feel Aunty Esma's wrath, but there was nothing to be done that wouldn't make matters worse) I went to go have a look at the curtains.

"Well, well, well," I said, pulling back the curtains, "Who do we have here, and why did you beat me to the first prank of the week without letting me help?"


	9. The Vanishing Sickness

**Jessi Brooke:** I took forever to update. :berates self: Okay, this chapter is unique, because unlike any other chapter, we get the point of view (POV) of both Helga and Rowena. It's sort of a test on myself, to see how well I can transfer from character to character. Thank you for bearing with me!

**RavenEcho:** Yup, I took forever on introducing Godric, and I'm very glad you like him, because he was one of the harder characters for me. Oh, and I just want to add that homework is very, very evil.

**FanFictionFantom:** Well I guess that's due to my lack of update. Addy and sister were mentioned before in chapters five and seven. And as for the curtains, well, scroll on down...

**gcshipper:** The school, well, that's going to be interesting, but I don't trust myself to say anymore.

* * *

**Chapter 9- The Vanishing Sickness**

Helga's POV:

"Come on Helga, before anyone knows it was us!" Rowena whispered frantically. Salazar waved us on as discreetly as he possibly could which was no easy task. I was stuck; the jeweled brooch I wore at the base of my neck had caught onto a thread from the burgundy curtains that shielded us from sight. Hastily, I tried to undo the knot, but it was useless without a wand. I didn't think I would need to bring one, seeing as this was a feast and all. Well, next time I would know better, I suppose.

"Salazar says if we don't leave now, we'll get caught!" Rowena stomped her foot for extra emphasis. But I focused on trying to undo the unconquerable knot. Getting all worked up and nervous over everything wouldn't do any good, after all.

"Just let me fix it with my wand!" Rowena offered, pulling her wand from the sleeve of her dress robes. There were footsteps- someone was coming this way. I shook my head at her.

"Oh come on!" she groaned with frustration. Well, things weren't looking too bright, and I had to do some quick thinking- which I'm not that good at actually. But you have to understand that what I did was to protect Rowena.

"Go!" I shoved her away from the curtains I didn't want her getting in trouble on the first night- goodness knows she'd be doing enough of that later on. Besides, her family was near nobles, and I, well I was a scullery maid. It wouldn't look so bad if I were to get in trouble, as it would for her. I know Rowena didn't mind, but I did.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here, and why did you beat me to the first prank of the week without letting me help?" a male voice called. My heart was beating so fast, I was surprised it didn't burst!

Someone threw back the curtains with such force; it ripped the brooch right off my cloak and sent me falling to my knees. Or at least, I think I would have fallen to my knees, if whoever it was, caught me.

I turned my head sharply to see who had caught me. It was a boy, but by the looks of it he was near to reaching his manhood. Brown eyes glittered mischievously, and even though he had been kind enough to catch me, I found myself not trusting him.

"Erm, zank you," I said quietly, bending down to pick up the frayed gray cloak. Inwardly I groaned, this had been Helmfried's he had taken it with him from the old family. And though it was old and worn, the jewels in the brooch not very expensive, it was his and he loved it. And he had entrusted me with it, said father would have wanted me to have it. This was all Helmfried had, and I had ruined it for him. I felt horrible!

"Why were you wearing a cloak? Planning on running for it if someone caught you?" asked the boy with a grin. I stopped, a feeling of self-consciousness sweeping over me. The real reason that I was wearing the cloak was because Rowena had altered one of her own dress robes for me. It was a royal blue- and beautiful as anything, but I didn't deserve to wear it. But Rowena is more than a force to be reckoned with, and awfully convincing at that. So somehow, she had managed to make me up just like any of the noble ladies. I felt like a liar, or a cheat, wearing the thing though, so I had taken Helmfried's cloak to hide it.

"Eh, no," I shook my head, examining the brooch, now dangling from the curtains, "I… I vas cold." I berated myself in my head- how could anyone possibly be cold with a hearth so big and mighty I could walk into it, burning cheerily at the end of the room?

"Well, I guess there's a bit of draft," he nodded slowly, but I could tell he didn't believe my story, "Hold on, I can fix that for you." The boy searched through the pockets in his red dress robes, but was fruitless.

"Looking for something?" behind him was a small, chubby red head who had to be younger the ten. In her hand she twirled around a long wand, a grin just as mischievous as the boy's on her face.

"Gennie? What the-? How did you- Give me that!" the boy exclaimed with frustration. Muttering a spell, the brooch untangled itself from the curtain, and fell cleanly into my hand

"Tsank you," I said quietly, but he seemed not to have heard, as he was currently glaring daggers at the girl called Gennie.

"Well, it's no problem. Cousin Gennie can be a bit, well, immature at times, so you'll have to excuse her," I nodded, but I saw behind him Gennie roll her eyes and gave him a 'look who's talking' glance. I smiled.

"So anyways, you got me sidetracked- so tell me about your prank! I've never seen that type of spell work before, it was bloody brilliant!" he said enthusiastically, light dancing around in his eyes.

"Vell, I…" a very hesitant me started. To tell, or not to tell, that was my question? If I told him it was Rowena, would he be the kind to snitch on her? No, he didn't seem to be that type. And besides, if I let him think I had cast that spell, that would be a lie, and I couldn't have that.

"Amazing show of spell casting!" a tall red head with messy hair declared, holding his hand out, "Raedan Weasley, by the way- and that was creative execution of both charms and transfiguration spells!"

I shook his hand slowly, overwhelmed by how energetic the tall boy was. I was definitely getting myself into a rut. And where in the world was Rowena anyway? I hadn't strayed that far off from the curtains where I had pushed her out of the way. Had she and Salazar just run off and left her? I was hurt, really hurt, I mean, taking off like that was something to be expected from Salazar- but Rowena? She knew very well about how my parents had died, my whole family leaving me, and how I so feared everyone leaving me. And she had just run off like that? I didn't like to be alone.

Hopefully she'll have a viable excuse- some reason for her antics. There had to be, just had to be. As I got acquainted with Raedan, Gennie, and Godric, I tried very hard to believe it.

But I didn't really.

ROWENA'S POV

I must say, things couldn't have been planned any better. The prank had been successful, Helga and I hadn't gotten caught by the adults, in fact, Prosperity, Addy, and her betrothed had gotten the blame instead. And now, for all to see, Helga was fraternizing with a trio of nobles, fitting in perfectly with them, showing that social order didn't matter, and anybody, even a scullery maid could be the part of a noblewoman. All in all, point proven.

"Why are you all smug for?" asked Salazar, an eyebrow raised, "You've just besmirched your family name, and you're actually proud of it?"

I turned to Salazar, eyes narrowed. It was so like him to belittle me in my moment of glory, "Because- I just proved that nobles are just as human as any other person, and can be humiliated, just like every other person. And, on the same note, a maid can assimilate and fit in perfectly with those of noble blood."

Salazar stared out onto the dance floor, where dozens of couples danced gracefully and some of the younger girls danced in a circle, and turned back to her, "I suppose that's great and dandy. I just never thought of you as the sly type."

I stared at him, and brushed wrinkles off my yellow dress robes incredulously, "Sly? Since when was I sly?"

"Since you started using your friends for your own benefit, seeing as I am quite certain Helga would never agree to a plot like this," he stated matter-of-factly. And with that, he turned to walk off.

"Salazar! Salazar wait!" I exclaimed, trailing after him. But it was no use, as he was suddenly lost to the mob of people going to dinner. I swear, I was going to kill that little snake! I was definitely not sly. Helga was perfectly fine with the prank, and everything she did was of her own accord.

But then that aggravating little voice in my mind reminded me that I was sly for I had practically tricked and forced Helga to go along with the plot, and that Salazar was right and I was wrong. At this realization, I was fuming. I hated being proven wrong, especially by the likes of him!

I also felt horrid about what I had done to Helga. She was a very trusting, loving person- she'd be devastated by the time she realized what I had done. I better track her down soon, and offer her a good apology.

As I moved with the wave of other students, everyone grabbing seats at the long wooden table, I also realized I was very much alone, seeing as Salazar appeared to have disappeared, and Helga was off with the nobles. I looked for her in the crowd, and found that she was seated with the trio she had met earlier, now laughing along with the rest at some joke. I felt jealousy growing at the pit of my stomach, here I was pitying her, and she had gone off and made new friends! Reflecting, there was no one to blame but myself. I had gotten her into this predicament, so what if she was enjoying it.

"You're going to get dragon pox tomorrow," a voice said from behind her. She turned to see a short, fat boy, peering down at her with beady little gray eyes. His dark hair was so greasy, I swore it was staining his lime green dress robes, and I flinched.

"Pardon?" I asked him, narrowing my eyes in scrutiny. He looked at me as if he thought I didn't hear him.

"You're going to get vanishing sickness tomorrow!" he said much louder, and I jumped in surprise. I glared at him, wondering who in the world he was and why was he talking to me.

"And how in the world could I possibly get vanishing sickness, if I haven't been in contact with anyone who has vanishing sickness?" I challenged him, crossing my arms.

"You wouldn't know if you've come in contact with anyone with vanishing sickness- silly! You wouldn't be able to see them of course!" he smiled knowingly. At that point, the best thing to do would have been to turn around and walk away. But I didn't know that then.

"Well, actually I would know if I came into contact with anyone with vanishing sickness, because in the year 653, Urquhart Rackharrow not only came up with the entrail-expelling curse, he came up with a curse devised to keep those of poor health a good five yards away from him at all times, so that he would not have to be bothered by their disease," I recited this bit of knowledge smugly.

Again the boy smiled at me like I was a dimwit, "But have you cast said curse lately?"

I sat down at the feast, filling my plate. Of course I did not cast that curse daily; such a thing would be paranoid. Only a crazy paranoid person would do that. I wondered if this boy did so. Sizing him up, I decided he probably did.

"See, I was right. The Inner Eye knows all," he exclaimed with delight, grabbing at a chicken wing barbarically, "Would you like me to take you to a healer to seek treatment?" he spoke with his mouth full of food, juice dribbling down his chin. I grimaced in disgust.

"No, no I would not," I said in a stressed tone, "because I am not coming down with the vanishing sickness." The boy didn't seem to get it, as he piled more and more meat onto his plate he tutted at me condescendingly. If only glares could kill…

"What kind of sadistic person are you?" he accused, "Do you want to go and make the whole lot of us sick? Vanishing sickness is contagious you know."

My eyes lit up with anger and resentment for him. Just who did he think he was, strutting about like he was the keeper of all knowledge, or something to that extent?

"For the final time, I do not have vanishing sickness," I said in a deathly whisper that sounded much too dangerous for an eleven year old to have uttered.

"Well, you can't fight fate," the boy chimed in a singsong voice. I dropped my knife to the table with a resounding clang. Oh, how I longed to hex the boy to pieces, but she had already caused enough mischief for one night.

She shoved her plate away from her body as she got up from her seat, "I think I've lost my appetite, perhaps I'll go upstairs to my sleeping quarters."

"Loss of appetite's the first sign to vanishing sickness," he called after me. The will power it took me not to reach for my wand… well, I let's just say I was very proud of myself.

In all honesty, I was not going to my sleeping quarters; I was off to look for Salazar. I knew he wasn't supping with the rest, I could just feel it. The only question, where would lonely stable boys go when everyone else was having dinner? There was no stable, as far as I knew, and if there was one, well, I didn't know its location. And it would be folly to try to seek it out during the night, without a map or anything. So, I kept inside the castle walls, searching fruitlessly throughout the corridors.

However, I did hear some strange whispering, but I'm thinking it's all in my head. I laughed at myself; now I was hearing things.

Maybe I was coming down with some sort of illness after all.


	10. Pink Madness

**Chapter 10- Pink Madness**

Rowena's POV

I woke up and decided that I hated pink. I hated it more than I could ever imagine hating something before. Now, don't think I was being illogical when I made this decision, because it makes perfect sense. What I'm trying to say is how would you like to wake up to find that your surroundings are completely frilly, bright, and pink? I guess it doesn't help that I am also not a morning person.

I threw back my curtainsand sawthat everyone else was already primping and grooming. As for me, I didn't need to be troubled with all that nonsense. Besides, I wanted to get out of that dormitory as soon as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, I had had a lot of good luck last night, so this morning fate wasn't on my side.

"Rowena? Just where do you think you're going in _that_ attire- a funeral?" questioned Prosperity when I was halfway out the door. Inwardly I groaned- so close, and yet so far away from being liberated from the frilly madness that engulfed me. I had even worn a very plain, navy blue dress to be as opposite of the frilly pinkness as possible. Too bad I had gotten caught.

"Since when do _you_ care about what I look like?" I grumbled when she forced me down into a very uncomfortable wooden chair that made me have to sit up perfectly straight. Before she replied, Melinda muttered a spell, and a jet of yellow light hit me. I gasped sharply, and I tried to move out of my seat- but to no avail. I was stuck with a bunch of frilly poodles. And it was at that point I remembered I had left my wand under my pillow.

"Because," she started as she took out the loose bun in my hair and began to brush it, "After that embarrassment last night, I've got to maintain family honor. Everything must be perfect- including you Rowena."

I glared at the pink wall that stood across from me. I'd have glared at Prosperity, but that would have been tricky to do while she yanked my hair into place. I moved around as much as possible, though, determined to cause her as much frustration as possible when one is stuck in a very uncomfortable chair without a wand.

"Would you sit still Rowena!" she barked angrily, "Honestly, it's as if you want to look like an ugly, plain little commoner. Addy dear, would you take care of Rowena's face while I put up her hair? And get out her yellow frock while you're at it."

Addy nodded obediently, and I glared even harder at the wall. I was going to become another frilly replica! I'd become unrecognizable to all my friends, in other words, Helga and Salazar (neither of which might not even want to be friends with me, at the moment) and they would think me gone! No one would realize that the newest frilly living doll was Rowena Hufflepuff, and by the time they did realize it, it would be too late, for I'd be brainwashed by dresses and hair care.

I was doomed.

Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but the whole ordeal was a horrible experience to have gone through. Addy put loads of this powder on my face that made me itch and cough, I was forced to wear bright pastel colors, and the braid that now wrapped around my head like a crown was so tight- it was painful. No wonder Addy, Prosperity, and Melinda were stupid. The pain and sweat that came with all this beauty care was enough to drive anyone insane!

"She looks positively adorable!" Melinda clasped her hands together in her saccharine manner, "You did a wonderful job with her."

Prosperity beamed proudly, for this was her revenge for every little thing I had ever done to her. She released the spell on me, but kept a firm grip on me with her sausage-like fingers so that I couldn't leave.

"She'll do, I suppose," said the last member of our dormitory, a tall girl whose name I did not know, "At least she looks more presentable than that little whore who was all over Godric Gryffindor last night. Did you see her all over _my_ Ricky- it was so undignified!"

I choked and sputtered, I tried very hard not to laugh. Had she really just calledsomeone else whorish? With that revealing blood red dress that fit tightly around her curves, dark brown curls hung seductively around her face? Now that was just ludicrous!

"Don't worry, cousin," Melinda placated the older girl, "Godric won't pay that seductress any mind once he meets you- you are Elswyth Black after all, from one of the most prominent of magical families. I bet that whore was even part of the prank, Prosperity, which humiliated you! The wrench did come out of nowhere, coincidentally right after you left. Why, that couldn't have been a coincidence."

More sputtering from my corner of the room. Had they just called Helga a whore and seductress? Now that was just too funny. Why, they had all gotten jealous of Helga, who they considered beneath them! I had to tell Salazar and Helga, they would think the whole situation was hilarious. Well at least they would, after I had apologized for putting Helga in a compromising position, of course.

"Rowena, are you quite alright?" Addy cocked her head to the side, staring at me in a very confused manner. It must have been a sight, me being held captive by my pig of a sister while I snickered and sputtered shamelessly.

"Peachy," I smiled innocently and successfully fooled the dimwits that surrounded me. Although, Elswyth didn't look very convinced, and I noted to myself to keep an eye on her.

So, off I went with the pack of frilly girls, without a wand, but at least I finally got to leave that horrible room. I figured that once we got to the dining hall, they would forget me and I could sneak off to find Helga and Salazar. That is, if Prosperity ever released her grip on me.

We entered the large hall to find people sitting at three long tables, most were just sitting down or still eating. I scanned the room for my two friends. It appeared that Helga wasn't there yet, but Salazar was, and he was eating with the boy Helga was talking to last night, Godric Gryffindor. It looks like everyone's met this kid but me.

And it also seemed as if I would be meeting him now. Elswyth wanted to meet Godric, Addy wanted to see Leofric, who was eating with Godric, and Melinda and Prosperity had nothing better to do, and I was still being held captive by Prosperity.

"Good morning, Godric," Elswyth drawled as she sat across from him. Addy made the trek around the table to sit next to Leofric, and Melinda to sit next to her, while Prosperity sat on the left of Elswyth, and I to the left of Prosperity. My seat also happened to be across from Salazar, who happened to snort into his pumpkin juice at the sight of me all dressed up by my sisters. And I just happened to throw a crumb of bread into his pumpkin juice.

"Erm… am I supposed to know you?" Godric scratched his head, baffled. A smug smile came on my face when I realized that Godric had no idea who Elswyth was, which really put Elswyth out. That's when I started to think I was becoming a bit sadistic. I decided I'd have to work on that later.

"You know," she smirked, "Elswyth Black? Surely you must have heard of me." Godric wrinkled his nose, deep in thought, and I truly wondered if he was faking it, orif he really had no idea. And then, there was the possibility that Elswyth was making her entire story up.

"Oh yeah- I do know you!" he exclaimed, "Auntie Esma talks about you're family all the time!"

Oh Merlin, was this boy daft? He sure was acting the part. Now that would be dangerous, an imbecile like him inheriting a lot of power one day, with a wife like Elswyth.

"Really?" she asked, chin resting on hand as she leaned over the table to him, "And pray tell, what does she say?"

Godric grinned mischievously, exchanging a look with Salazar before he leaned into her, "She's says the whole lot of you Blacks are naught but a bunch of good for nothing gold-diggers and lazy bastards that have never worked a day in their lives. Auntie Esma was always one for honesty."

I looked away and tried to stifle my laughs by covering my mouth with my hands, but to no avail. That was brilliant, simply brilliant- Elswyth blushed like the mere mortal she was and everything, glowering as she slid back in her seat and turned to her food.

"Godric," Melinda started, covering for her humiliated cousin, "I'm Melinda Thompson, and as you know, this is Adela and Prosperity Hufflepuff, and their younger sister, Rowena-"

Godric's eyes widened in recognition, "So you're the one who-"

I stuck out my hand across the table, and said quickly, "The one who is very pleased to meet you, Godric." He shook my hand and smiled knowingly while the rest of the girls exchanged suspicious glances. Better for them to be suspicious than for Godric to let them all know who was the one behind last night's prank. I supposed Helga or Salazar must have told him about it.

So the girls went back to talking about who knows what, and the boys about something totally different, but I paid no attention as I looked around for Helga. It seemed that she still hadn't arrived yet, and I wondered what was holding her up.

About a second later, the doors to the hall opened again and I got my answer. She had asmall peasant girl holding tightly onto each hand, and was leading several older raggedy girls around her. She herself was back in her normal attire, hair back in its usual two braids, so unlike the free curls she had worn last night. She seemed to be in charge of the group, and sat them down at a table, making sure everyone had a place, and everyone put their napkins on their laps. How quickly she had become the ringmaster of this small parade.

For a moment, she looked in my direction, and I tried to catch her eye, but as soon as she noticed me, she looked away. I guessed I was not forgiven for what I had done last night. I supposed I deserved it, too.

"Would you take a look at that?" Elswyth sneered at the group, "Have they ever even had their clothing washed… ever?"

Melinda followed her glance and rolled her eyes, "People like that don't deserve to learn magic with the rest of us." Once again they were criticizing Helga, but they didn't even realize it. How ironic.

"Why?" I asked sarcastically and rolled my eyes, "They're too humble for you? Or maybe they're too kind, helping each other- oh no, those are horrible, horrible people- let's get rid of them immediately!" Melinda's jaw dropped; scandalized at the fact that anyone would dare defy her and her couin.

"I'd close my mouth if I were you, Melinda, you're attracting flies," Godric commented nonchalantly. She blushed as she closed her mouth tightly.

Revenge is sweet.

I went back to toying with my food, every now and then I turned around to look at Helga and her new friends. I just hoped that there would still be room enough for me. Otherwise, all I'd have would be Salazar, which was not a very good prospect, seeing as hetried his best to act as if we had never met. It wasn't completely because he is an annoying slime ball though, it was also because he also had to make sure Prosperity and Addy didn't realize who he was, which would make for an awkward situation. At least, that was what I hoped.

"I'm not hungry anymore!" declared Godric spontaneously, getting out of his seat, "Raedan, Salazar, Leofric, are you with me?"

Salazar was eager to leave, as was Raedan, but Leofric seemed, well reluctant. He apparently was one of the very select few that enjoyed making conversation with Addy. That was a hard thing to do, seeing as she was so dense. But somehow, when the two of them got together, she talked and talked like she knew what she was saying. Definitely a good match.

"You're welcome to join us, Rowena," Godric added, "I think you'd like to meet my cousin, Gennie. Of course, it you would rather stay with your sisters, that would be understandable…"

"No, I'll go meet your cousin!" I stood up, as I was very eager to get away from my sisters and the cousins, especially when Prosperity, Melinda, and Elswyth all glared at me. What was Addy doing, you ask? Talking with Leofric of course, as her attention always turned to him whenever he was in her presence.

"So really… why _does_ your hair resemble a bird's nest this morning?" Salazar asked, mock seriously after we were a few yards from the table, "I always knew you were a birdbrain, but really, trying to attract birds to your head?"

"Shove it, Salazar," I growled. Honestly, did he try to make me mad on purpose? Was that some kind of sick game of his?

"Or what?" he challenged, raising an eyebrow at me. I had a new thing to add to the list of things that I hated. I hated the way he raised his eyebrow at me, as if I were some stupid, inferior little girl.

"Or I'll hex you to pieces," I said, matter-of-factly. He sighed a sigh full of boredom, and I was convinced he only did it to agitate me.

"Well, isn't that an unoriginal threat," he said dryly, "Really, I was hoping something more creative from you. I'm disappointed in you, Rowena." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Hurry up, you two!" Godric called impatiently, "We've got mischief to be making."

When he said this, we passed where Helga was sitting, and from the corner of my eye, I saw her watch me carefully. It would probably be best to resolve as soon as possible.

"Actually Godric, I've got some business to attend to," I said slowly, "Perhaps some other time."

He turned around; his face gave away his disappointment at the loss of a fellow prankster. Salazar gave a nod of approval, and I swear that if he was one of those good-hearted, considerate people in the world, he might have even smiled. But that was a lot to expect from Salazar, after all.

"See you later, then," he said, like a sad little child. I gave a small wave goodbye, and watched him, Salazar, and Raedan as they left the room.

I swiveled around, and bit at my lip nervously. Well, this was it- too bad I wasn't that great with apologies. In fact, I can't remember the last time I've ever apologized to anybody. Ever.

It took all that it had in me to walk up to Helga, and not just turn away. You see, I'm not that brave. Usually, I just use my knowledge to best everyone, and run. I opened my mouth to say something, but then I realized I didn't know what to say, so I closed my mouth. So I just tapped her on the shoulder.

Helga turned around, and all conversation in her group stopped as they all watched to see why a girl like me would want to talk like a girl like Helga. I chewed at my bottom lip again; I would have preferred this to be a more private conversation.

"What do you want?" Helga asked, not able to look at me. I looked to the other girls, to Helga, to the other girls again. Merlin, I wished they'd all just go away.

"Well, erm…" I began slowly. For a person who read so much, I was pretty speechless, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry, about last night I mean. It won't, um, it's not going to happen again, witch's honor. You forgive me?"

She looked up at me, I felt her big blue eyes calculating my face as they tried to decipher whether or not I was telling the truth. I felt almost as if I were naked under her scrutiny, as if she could see right through me. And I didn't like that one bit, it was quite nerve-racking.

"Forgiven," she said with a small smile, "Come, sit vits us. I'll introduce you to my roommates."

She turned back to them, and said probably the most surprising thing they'd ever heard in their short lives, "Everyone, zis is Rowena Hufflepuff, my step-sister, and also my best friend."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Woah ten chapters! Meh, I didn't like this chapter, it was kind of corny and meh-ish. I guess I kind of needed it though, I've been depressed lately... yep, the nerdiest girl in the land is getting her first C ever, and the nerdiest girl in the land's parents are not to happy and have been limiting computer time. sigh How I loathe science! And it doesn't really help that my dog's discovered how zippers function and pulled everything out of my backpack to get a granola bar, which is actually pretty funny. Somehow I was blamed for that, but it's not myfault my dog is tooclever for her own good. But,I digress. 

**Jamie Girl:** Thanky much!

**Luna Moonlight Fawn:** Ah, a new reviewer person! Thank you for inspiration blessing, actually, now that I think of it, I just got a very good idea... I'd say more, but that would be telling, wouldn't it?

**FanFictionFantom:** :headwallheadwallheadwall: Rawr, counfounding tenses, we aren't friends, to say the least. Gotta go back and fix that. As for Rowena & Salazar, well, yes I think this is duct tape time :author sticks a piece of duct tape securely over mouth:

**RavenEcho:** Yes the tenses, (see above)... and yay for the contrast! Homework is stupid, we spend enough time doing work in school, why do we have to go home and do more of it when we should be having fun and typing fanfictions? As for Salazar, well, it's duct tape time again :takes out roll of duct tape:.

Yah, heard the review rumors and stuff, and personally, don't care. I love you all too much to stop replying!


	11. Godric's Philosophies

**Chapter Eleven: Godric's Philosophies**

Godric's POV

After moments of long, treacherous, tiring pondering, I came to a breakthrough philosophical conclusion. One that would change the world around me forever. People from all over Europe would come to see me, Godric the Great, and ask me for advice. I'd become a fat old scholar, or a bard, maybe even a minstrel. No, not a minstrel, they don't make a lot of money. Not that scholars or bards make a lot of money either, but… hey, what was I talking about again? Oh yes, my big breakthrough.

Girls are very weird.

Pretty surprising, eh? Yep, I thought so myself. What I mean to say is, boys are normal people, they don't care much how they look, they like to get dirty, and have fun. On the other hand, girls like to dress up in very painful looking outfits, do everything humanely possible to stay perfectly clean, and are really giggly and afraid of bugs. Well, all girls, except Gennie. But she's my cousin, so she doesn't count.

Especially that Elswyth girl my father and my mother betrothed me to. In fact, she's the worst. You know, I'm starting to think that we kids should have some sort of a say in who we are betrothed to, because I have a feeling it's going to take more than just a couple of pranks to get _her_ off my back. Maybe a scorpion in her hair would get rid of her for good? Nah, she might hurt the poor, innocent, defenseless scorpion.

And then there are those other girls I've never met, and yet, they all seem to know exactly who I am. You know the ones I'm talking about, the ones who point and giggle. Strange ones they are- I don't even know what they are giggling about, I haven't even pulled a prank or anything yet.

Oh well, at least Rowena and Helga liked to prank, so may there was hope for the female population…

"So, what do you lads propose we should do?" asked Raedan, while he, Salazar and I trekked aimlessly through the halls. Unlike most people, however, we were not hopelessly lost, seeing as I had the advantage of being at home. Or the disadvantage, seeing as I had never been allowed to be too far away from the castle.

"Horseback riding?" I suggested, "We've just cleared out a field for the horses to run in, and I've been meaning to go riding soon."

Salazar shuddered at the mentioning of horses, for some strange and unknown reason. Weird as he was, Salazar was interesting to have around. A bit obsessive about cleanliness and order, yes, but interesting nevertheless.

"No?" I glanced at Salazar, curiously. A grin spread on my face- I had another idea. I was really on a roll today.

"Let's plan a prank!" I exclaimed, "For the last night before the decisions are made for who will stay here, and who won't. It'll be brilliant- everyone will remember it. We already have the advantage, because I know how everything works around here. And you, Raedan, you are like the smartest person ever," Raedan's ears suddenly matched his freckle covered face, "And you Salazar, well… you're sneaky, and that would probably help too."

They both stared at me as if I was insane and I crossed my arms. Eccentric maybe, over the top, most definitely, Godric Gryffindor was not insane!

"What happens if we get caught?" Salazar raised an eyebrow, "Because I for one recall what happened last night to the two who got in trouble. They were sent up to their rooms without supper and letters home, and they only got off that easy because they both were members of socialite magical families. If a person like me were to get caught in a prank like that, I'd be sent home in an instant."

Well, I guess I really hadn't thought of that. But hey, did I really have to think out every minor detail before I spoke an idea aloud? I think not.

"I'd have to agree," Raedan admitted reluctantly, "The chances that we wouldn't get caught in the act on a high scale prank are pretty low, if you consider that…"

And he went on to say more, but I really wasn't paying very much attention, because once again I had an idea. I'm telling you, there must be something in the water, because this is a definite idea day.

"Well, you two would get out, but… I wouldn't," I interrupted Raedan's rant, "I live here, so what could possibly happen to me? If we do get caught, I could just say I did it, and that I forced you two to help me."

Salazar considered it carefully for a moment, then spoke, "That… just might actually work. There is however, the highly possible chance that it wouldn't work, in which case you'll understand if I have to set a mob of angry non-magicals on you and curse you all the way to Rome."

"You my friend, are very sadistic," I laughed, "But no hard feelings, if that should be the case."

We continued on to an empty corridor that would lead to my private quarters. Yes, one of the privileges of living here year-round included my own bedroom and sitting room. Because of that, there should be no one near this part of the castle, or even in one of the many studies that lined the hall. And yet there was a conversation coming from one of the rooms. Curious. I stroked my chin suspiciously as I put my ear to the door. Raedan and Salazar followed my lead.

"No, I will not!" yelled a small yet angry voice… Gennie, "And you can't make me." Wow, someone was trying to force Gennie into doing something. Well, that was… for lack of a better word, stupid. Gennie is as stubborn as a mule when she chooses to be. I liked to think she gets it from Auntie Esma, because her stubbornness can be extremely annoying whenever I'm trying to decide what we're going to do.

The other person's voice was lower, and so the sound was muffled through the wall. I muttered angrily under my breath, and Salazar glared at me and put his finger to his lips, shushing me. I responded in a very mature manner, I stuck out my tongue at him, and went back to eavesdropping.

"Besides, Godric is my very best friend- my only friend. What would happen if he were to find out- he'd hate me! I'd hate me, for betraying him. I don't care what you'd give me, no sir would I ever be a, a tattletale."

In my head I mentally cheered Gennie on. Bold and brave, yup, she got all that from spending time with me. Inwardly I smiled, proud that my young cousin would not betray me, no matter what she has been offered.

Salazar put his hand on my shoulder, "Come on," he whispered, "We've pushed our luck enough as it is, we don't want to be caught."

Against my better judgment, I left with him and Raedan and we ran. We ran and we ran and we kept on running until we had reached the safety of my living quarters, where we all promptly dropped to the floor and onto the scarlet colored rug.

"That was… interesting, to say the least," Raedan commented, breathing heavily, turning on his side. I wiped sweat from my forehead, and ran my hand through my hair nervously. Something about all of this wasn't right.

"What I would really like to know," Salazar said, when he sat up, "Is why that person, whoever it was, would be trying to bribe your little cousin into snitching on you in the first place."

I stared up at the stone ceiling when I finally caught my breath. I laid there as I wondered who the other person could have possibly been. But then I smiled beside myself, for I should have known all along.

"My father," I said, and I stood up to walk to the other side of the room, where the window was. I looked out the window and onto the moors outside, because I could not stand to face them and talk about my father. I was too ashamed. My father, well, he was a ladies' man, to put it bluntly, as well as a drunk. But when he wasn't busy being the scum at the bottom of society, he cleaned up rather nicely, and held a very high position on the Wizard's Council, who governed over the magical society of the land. It really is an achievement he manages to play both parts so well.

"But why would he need Gennie to do his dirty work for him? Couldn't your father just spy on you on his own? I mean, he is your father after all, he must see you quite often," Salazar reasoned. I stared at him and gave a short laugh. A colder laugh I had never uttered before in my life, and one I never hope to let leave my lips again.

"My father and I do not have… we don't have the conventional father and son relationship," I said carefully, turning back to face my two friends, "I hardly ever have the chance to see him. And as for my mother, she is always somewhere planning parties, or buying trifles. No, my Auntie Esma was the one who raised me, and has been more of a parent to me than either of my actual ones."

"Sorry about that mate," Raedan said apologetically, "We didn't know, or we wouldn't have asked you. Erm… how about that pranking you were talking about?" I forced a small smile, although I also caught Salazar rolling his eyes at Raedan's feeble attempt to lift the mood of the room.

"Alright, pranks, the fine, fine art of acting purely and solely for one's own amusement, and usually at the expense of others," I began, standing all dignified-like, "We have access to whatever materials we want, and we have knowledge of the castle. Besides that, we are smarter and overall better than anyone else here."

"That's a stupid assumption," commented Salazar, "And an ignorant one at that. Just because we have some advantages doesn't mean that we are superior to anyone else."

I gave Salazar a look. You know that "why did you have to just go and ruin my fun?" look? Yup, it was that one exactly. "Aw come, Salazar," I said, clasping his shoulder, "Brighten up a bit, won't you? Relax and have some fun."

"Well, someone's got to keep you from ending up at the muggle stake," he muttered darkly.

I grinned, "That's why we have Raedan- he's just about the kid expert on numerology. If we ever even get closed to trouble, he'll know what to do, right?" Raedan's ears, if possible, went as red as his hair and his freckles as he hesitantly nodded. Ah, the power of peer pressure.

"Well, as long as you're the own taking all of the blame," shrugged a very unconvinced looking Salazar. There was a silence in the room for a moment, none of us really knowing what to say. It made me twitchy, the silence was nerve-racking, and I did not like it at all. No, I preferred noise and chaos much more than this anytime, any day.

And then the door burst open and Leofric lunged inside the room and slammed the door shut quite loudly. I had no idea what it was all about, but at least it broke the silence.

"What was all that about?" Raedan folded his arms across his chest and looked down upon a very disturbed looking Leofric. There was a wild glint in Leofric's eye, and I'd gone hunting enough with the knights of the Council to recognize it as the look of prey right when they know that they're done for. Whatever this was, it couldn't be good.

"It, it was, was Th-Them," was all that he managed to sputter out, "T-they were supposed to be at girls classes… didn't think they needed it… bouncy ruffles… I don't like ruffles." He continued to mutter incoherently, until Salazar muttered a spell that shot water at the older brown-haired boy's face. Raedan crossed his arms at Salazar who simply smirked back.

"Thanks mate," Leofric said gratefully, brushing water out of his eyes, "I needed it. You don't know what they're like, it's scary even… you wouldn't believe the evilness of it all…" Leofric's voice continued to trail off about the scariness of something as Salazar smirked in an "I told you so" manner. I raised my hands helplessly- hey, I can't be right all the time, it would take the fun out of it.

"Who are 'they'?" I asked, kneeling down beside him. He looked straight at me, his face full of seriousness.

"Elswyth, Melinda, and Prosperity, but Addy was there too. All the girls are having magic lessons in the courtyard this morning. The three of them decided it wasn't necessary for them to attend this morning's meeting, and dragged Addy and I along with them. They had to go to their room to put on more of the stupid powder stuff and took me hostage. Addy, at least attempted to stop them, needless to say that her attempted failed. So they took me up to their room and it was completely and totally pink and frilly and bright. But worst of all they tried to get me to wear this horrible pink dress robe- with ruffles!" he declared angrily.

"Not to mention its not quite honorable for a boy to be in a girl's room," Salazar muttered sarcastically.

I know what I did may be considered mean, or rude. But if you were in my place you would have done it too. I laughed, and laughed, and laughed until I was doubled over with laughter. Raedan laughed nervously too, and as for Salazar, well I reckon he found the entirety of the situation entirely stupid.

"It was horrible!" Leofric muttered angrily, "You weren't there, you wouldn't know- I've been scarred for life! If I ever see the color pink again, it will be much too soon."

After a moment or so I calmed down, still trying to get the image of Leofric in pink dress robes out of my head. "Don't worry mate," I put my hand on his shoulder reassuringly, "I won't tell a soul, none of us will. We shan't damage your honor like that. But we will get revenge, because what these girls have done to you is sick and wrong- and mark my words they will pay! Are you with me?"

"As long as it doesn't harm Addy, I'm with you all the way," Leofric said, and I nodded. The lad certainly had a soft spot for that girl.

"Oh, I suppose it would be fun to use spells in a manner I'm not normally used to," Raedan sighed, then clarified as Leofric and I gave him baffled expressions, "I'm in."

We all turned to Salazar, who was being suspiciously quiet, which was not a good thing at all. He had to join the prank! Otherwise, who was going to tell me how stupid my ideas were, even if some of them were brilliant?

"Know this- if we get caught, I'm saying you forced me into it, because I am not risking my chance here over some silly pranking war of yours," he warned us reluctantly. I grinned because I knew that somewhere down inside of Salazar that the child in him was finally going to have the chance to come out- which would be awfully interesting.

"We love you too, Slytherin," Leofric grinned sarcastically, at which Salazar rolled his eyes.

"So it's settled then," I declared, "There shall be a prank war in the brave house of Gryffindor, a prank war not only against frilly, giggly, girls, but the color pink! And to all who wish to stop us- beware or we'll be out to get you too. No one is safe until we four can rest assured that the color pink rules no more. And with that said, my friends, let the chaos begin."

* * *

**Jessi Brooke-** Teachers are evil. Honors classes are no fun. The way this chapter ended annoys me.Enough said. 

**404:** Thanks! Yes, a lot of founders fics are parodies or pointless, or just have to many words like thee and tis to be understood by the average reader. There are a few out there, however that really are amazing.

**FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYKings:** Thanks! And as for Rowena and Salazar… well there's no point in hiding it, although there will be bumps along the way, and Rowena still has some maturing to do, of course.

**FanFictionFantom:** sigh yup, you did know, duct tape never works anyway, pretty colors though. Well, I guess Salazar is similar to Snape, and yet he's not because he's developing this whole obsession with cleanliness and not having greasy hair, like Snape, but yes, I guess they are alike.

**Luna Moonlight Fawn:** Thanks for the positive feedback and the inspiration blessing!

**Raven Echo:** Who said he was _your_ Salazar? You knowI'm kidding :)Fixed the spelling- blargh I hate when I do that. I'm glad you're liking the characterization, I'm particularly pleased with them myself, seeing at they seem to be taking on lives of their own. Godric's becoming almost as loony as me though, and Salazar is kind of turning out like Snape, but it's the most fun to write him because he's the most unlike me. Take your time battling the evils of homework, I find that if you can control that, it makes writing a much more relaxing experience. I can't exactly write in math, seeing as this is the first math teacher that's like me in three years (what I ever did to these math teachers I don't know, but it's not my fault if me and my friends notice mistakes and try to correct them). So I'll write in biology, we don't do anything fun there anyway. Yup, I'm rambling about classes again, cookie to you if you actually read all of this!


	12. Pranks

Chapter 12: Pranks (part one)

Rowena POV

"You can't catch me!" Helga giggled madly as she ran about the courtyard. At the moment I counted thirteen peasant girls and boys- most of them younger than her- chasing after her eagerly, but the number was ever growing. As for myself, I sat under the shade of a willow tree, content to read a scroll on Transfiguration from the library by myself.

It was the last day before everyone was to be sent home- everyone but the chosen, that is. For what, no one was really quite sure, and if Godric knew, he would not say. He didn't seem very inclined to care much about our lessons, which were much more like evaluations. No, all he seemed to be concerned about was the little prank he and the boys (and his little cousin Gennie, also) were concocting. They would not say a word about it, not even Salazar!

But back to today. The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky… and experience told me that that meant it would probably rain in a few hours, but for all I know it may be my last day here, and I have to finish reading the scroll. It would have been nice to read it in the privacy of my own room, however, pink world was currently being occupied by four of the most insufferable people known to mankind, so that wasn't an option. They were hiding up there because of the sun- apparently tans and freckles weren't very fashionable nowadays. I could have gone into the library, but I wasn't quite sure as to where that was, because Godric led me there the first time, and I have forgotten where it is. I wasn't going to waste my time getting lost. So here I was in the courtyard, like a Garden of Eden amongst the moors. Hmm, that sounded kind of poetic… I should write that down somewhere.

""Morning Rowena," Helga collapsed happily next to me. I tried not to look too irritated as the rest of the brood that was following her came to sit under the tree with her. I loathed to be interrupted while reading; it was one of the very few things that really annoyed me. Well, maybe not very few… but can't a girl have peace and quiet every once and awhile? Can't she?

"Good morning Helga," I said stiffly, not taking my eyes away from my scroll. Hopefully, she'd get the point.

"Come play wits us, Rowe," she said, pushing my scroll aside so that she could see me, "You alvways act like such an old lady all of tse time, you need to have some fun."

Okay, so she didn't get the point, but Helga could be a bit thick sometimes, and so one had to practice patience whenever they were around her. I glared at her, trying very hard not to get angry.

"Obviously, you and I have very different ideas of the definition of fun," I pulled the scroll back in front of my face. I heard her heave a sigh as she sat down next to me, and I chewed on my lip, knowing she was definitely going to be very stubborn until she could get me running about with all these other strangers who we barely knew. Naturally, I was going to be giving her a hard time about it. I had to at least try not to comply.

"Tsen I'll just have to do it myself," she folded her arm, "I'll tell Salazar all about it, zhen."

Everything stopped, or at least, it felt as if it were so. Time stopped for that moment when my heart skipped a beat and my eyes widened and I dropped my scroll because for that moment my muscles had stopped working. How could Helga have known, when I had hidden it so well, and hadn't been sure of it myself not so long ago? She was my best friend, true, but how could she…

"There really is something!" Helga's eyebrows shot up, bringing a hand to her mouth in surprise, "I was only bluffing… I didn't know about this… Rowena Hufflepuff, as your best friend and adopted sister, I demand to know what it is you are hiding!"

I could breathe again, she did not know, the world was not coming to an end. True, now she was suspicious, but anything was better than the truth. Besides, this was Helga I'm talking about, and not to be rude, for she has never been anything but kind to me, but it would probably take her a while to figure out, by which time, the strange feeling I had at the pit of my stomach should long be over.

"I won't say," I said, rolling up the scroll, knowing what was to come, "I won't breathe a word of it."

Helga tossed a braid of long yellow hair aside, "But you will come play with us, I don't know what it is, but I will tell Salazar you are up to something, if you don't."

Yup, that was what I was expecting to come, blackmail. My friend was kind, yes, but here at Gryffindor Castle she had come out of her shell a tad more than usual, here, once and a while, Helga wanted to have her way and not always my own. I supposed it was only fair, whether I liked it or not.

"You want a head start?" I said jokingly. She smiled, pleased that she had gotten me out from under my tree, and in the blink of the eye, dashed off. Gee Helga, can't you ever take a joke? She knew full well that in running I was no match for a big strong girl like she. With a shrug I began the hopeless chase. At least I would dirty my dress and further vex Addy, Prosperity, Melinda, (and it seemed the list of people to annoy was growing ever longer) and Elswyth, Godric's betrothed, or non-betrothed, if he could help it. It was one of those times that I felt good to only be eleven, and not to have to worry about such things for a few more years. Of course, I was betrothed to no one, but would probably be arranged to marriage some lazy, arrogant rich boy, like my older sisters would. Even Leofric was a tad too lazy for my liking.

"Come now Rowena, we both know you can run faster than that!" Helga taunted, and I blushed as I realized that I was near the back of the brood of running children. I narrowed my eyes in determination, and ran with all my might- which was saying something. Usually I was not one for childish games, but when one was around Helga, things were different. She made people want to laugh, want to act like immature little children. Even if they were a bookish eleven year old who was supposed to be immature anyway.

I didn't realize it then, but Godric, Leofric, Raedan, Gennie, and of course Salazar had come out of wherever they went to hide when planning their prank. I didn't know they were watching me. I didn't realize that as I ran, the scroll jumped out of the pocket of my very expensive (and now very muddy) wizard's robes. I also didn't see when Salazar jumped to catch said scroll and prevent it from getting ruined (and me from getting severely punished, though I hardly think he was thinking along those lines).

However, I was full well aware that I tripped over him, knocking the both of us two the mud, not to mention the scroll.

And for the second time in less than ten minutes, the world seemed to stop. I tried very hard to recall the spell which I had been learning about from the transfiguration scroll at the moment. And with good reason, I should add. It was a spell to make you disappear, only to reappear in a place of your own choosing. How I would have loved to have had that spell master right about now.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I had been suddenly magicked into an armchair for you to sit on," Salazar said dryly. I winced, realizing that I was currently sitting on top of his chest, a very awkward position. Not to mention that it was probably crushing his heart and lungs.

"Um, yes I'm sorry," I muttered with embarrassment as I got off of my friend. As I straightened out my grass stained robes, I wished the whole courtyard wouldn't stare at me. Someone should inform them that it's rude to stare. I'd do it with a good hex; however I wasn't particularly keen on calling even more attention to myself.

"What? No comeback explanation of how this was all a part of some experiment you were conducting on the reaction rates of unsuspecting boys? My, my, whatever has gotten into you dear Rowena?"

"She was just having a bit of fun, Salazar, let her be," Helga came to my side, instinctively going to help clean off my robes. She always did that back at home, because she was the servant and I was the "noble" despite my protests. But today I said nothing, mostly because I felt very stupid.

"Scourgify," Helga muttered, pointing her wand at my robes, and then doing the same for Salazar.

"Are you sure you're alright, Rowena?" asked Salazar, looking genuinely concerned. This was a rarity for him. So much for being very capable of hiding my emotions.

"Just peachy," I nodded quickly, "I think I've had a bit too much sun, is all. In fact, I'm going to be going inside now. Helga, would you like to go with me back to the dormitories? I'm not feeling quite myself."

Helga, who had been muttering quietly in the background with Godric (which was odd- Godric, being in the background, I mean) jumped, looking a bit startled and nodded ferevently. She grabbed for Gennie's hand and my own, taking both of us inside.

"I was just in there!" whined Gennie, "I want to play outside with the boys now!"

"Now what would your mother think?" asked Helga, never wavering as she directed us two younger girls to my dormitory, "I don't think she'd like to see you roughing about with boys nearly twice your age."

The little red head bit her lip, clearly taking this into consideration as deliberated what she must do. I found the younger Gryffindor cousin quite intriguing to observe. The mentors she had picked out for herself- Godric and her mother- contradicted each other, and it was anyone's guess whose lead she follow from one instance to another. Godric, from what Rowena had seen of him, was bold and brash, while Gennie's mother, from what I had heard, was reserved and well-mannered.

"I guess she'd want me to go be a lady," the little girl said, "No matter how much it bored me to do so."

Helga nodded approvingly, "And do you remember what task Godric gave to you for tonight's prank?"

The chubby eight-year-old's eyes lit up in realization, and she grinned mischievously, "I know what we're doing!"

Together the two shared a grin that came only from sharing a secret, and I was feeling very left out about now.

"What does my dormitory have to do with their stupid little prank? And what do the two of you know that I don't? Would someone please be gracious enough to let me in on this?" I asked, no more like demanded.

"Mummy says that young girls should act like young ladies by being patient," chimed Gennie, "No matter how much it bores them to do so."

See? That was the Godric inspired side of her coming out again, in collaboration with the more orderly side. And by now, it was really starting to annoy me.

As earlier predicted, the four pink monsters (must I name them again?) resided in my dormitory, probably talking about boys and dresses, no less.

"What are _you_ doing here, and why have you brought those rags with you to blemish the bedroom?" Elswyth, of course sneered at us, but mostly me. She still hadn't picked up that Helga was the same girl who had talked to Godric at the welcome banquet, and was out on the look for some rich blonde girl. It was quite humorous, actually, and as for her question, well, I couldn't honestly answer that, because I wasn't quite sure of the truth myself.

"I'm Gwenhyfar Gryffindor, but you may call me Gennie," Gennie curtsied with a saccharine smile. I gaped- but only for a second. Elswyth and the rest sure hadn't seen that one coming. The looks on their faces was priceless.

"G-Gennie G-Gry-Gryffindor?" Melinda repeated, getting up from her seat by the dresser, "As in, related to Godric, Godric Gryffindor?"

Gennie smiled innocently, too innocent a smile for the prankster Gennie that I had come to know. I didn't know how, and I didn't know why, but somehow embarrassing Elswyth had been incorporated into the prank. Maybe it wasn't going to turn out as badly as Salazar said it would after all.

"He's my favorite cousin!" Gennie played with her hair, exactly mimicking the way Addy did with her own hair. This was too good.

"What a coincidence! I happen to be betrothed to your cousin!" Elswyth changed her entire disposition to a more charming, modest, and shy one, "Has he said anything about me?" If I hadn't had the misfortune of spending the week as her roommate, I might have been convinced. All four of the older girls crowded around Gennie, who looked glad for the attention; even if it was from girls she was pulling a prank on.

"Well… he did say one thing…" Gennie said quietly, shifting her weight.

"What did he say? What did he say?" asked Addy over-earnestly.

"Don't pressure her!" scolded Prosperity, slapping my sister's hand, "Go on Gennie, tell us the good word."

"Well he said," and at this point she looked Elswyth straight in the eye, "That the whole lot of you Blacks are naught but a bunch of good for nothing gold-diggers and lazy bastards that have never worked a day in their lives. And that some Elswyth girl should stop stealing my dresses, which is odd, because I'm eight and he says Elswyth is fourteen, so they must be very small and tight on her. Besides I don't remember anyone stealing my dresses. But cousin Godric was always one for honesty."

That was it. I was definitely devise a method to record this memory, so that I could watch it again, and again, and again, and… well you get the point. For I knew at that moment that the look on Elswyth's face at this point in time made up for all my bad luck earlier, and would make me laugh for years to come. Because for the first time ever, Elswyth was speechless.

"And by the way, this is the room where I usually have my bath's drawn. Of course, your staying here now but… would you mind leaving for the next few hours? You may decline if you so choose, but Godric said you wouldn't."

I could practically see Elswyth's brain at work. On one hand, she didn't want to insult her hosts, especially if she was to one day marry them. On the other hand, she had just been insulted- badly, I might add- by an eight year old. To allow her in the room would to be like admitting loss, something she wasn't very keen on doing. Besides, she didn't want to leave the comforts of her own room.

"I'm… going to go get a bit of fresh air," she declared slowly, then turned to the rest, "And you all are coming with me."

"But Elswyth!" Addy protested, but closed her mouth as Prosperity shot her a look. I folded my arms triumphantly, though I myself had done nothing, giving a small smirk as I watched them go.

"Whew," said Gennie, closing the door behind them and locking it, "I was afraid I'd forget my lines. Those big girls were weirder than the soup Godric tried to feed me last month." With that sentiment, the young red head jumped on one of the beds, wearing out the mattress as she bounced on it cheerfully.

"Gennie, if you aren't here to take a bath, which you most likely are not, then what are we here for? Besides humiliating Elswyth, which was brilliant, I might add," I said with a smile. Gennie stopped bouncing and sat on the edge of the bed, looking very prudent.

"So she was the Elswyth girl? Weird, that didn't look like one of my dresses," Gennie the little girl wrinkled her nose Godric-style, "Oh yes, I remember now! He said to make the room look like a hundred wizards on broomsticks came flying through, chasing after a herd of green giants with gray and gold polka-dots fighting over who should be Gurg and causing general chaos- whatever that's supposed to mean."

I exchanged a glance with Helga, to make sure that it was fine by her. She was already twirling her wand around her fingers, patiently waiting for revenge upon those who had insulted her and all of the friends she had made, including myself.

"I suppose just this once… they do deserve it…" her voice trailed off sheepishly, trying to find an excuse for something she knew was hurtful. Honestly, I don't think Helga could have even hurt a fly.

"They had it coming to them," I reassured her, taking out my own wand as Gennie continued jumping on the beds.

My wand was in the air, and I was at the ready. I took a breath, anticipating the havoc that I was about to reak upon this room. I would show no mercy. All the times my sisters had wronged me, all the times Melinda and Elswyth insulted me would be accounted for. They had crossed the wrong girl, I was more intelligent than any of them, if I do say so myself. Or at least, that's what Helga and Salazar say.

"Flipendo!" I shouted, aiming my wand at a delicate pink pillow.It went crashing through the air, never stopping until it hit the wall, where it exploded into a thousand feathers. Another wave of my wand- and the pearly white feathers had turned a murky green . As the feathers floated back down to the ground, swaying as they fell, I couldn't help but be reminded of snow, and Christmas.

And I know it isn't wise, but I have to say that I agree with whoever said revenge was sweet.

* * *

Author's Note: Did you really think you can get rid of me that easy? So this chapter was kinda pointless fun, but I always like pointlessness. Bleh, next chappy, we've got some real pranks, and a surprise... bleh, I'm tired so not much more to say but read and review and make me a happy coconut!


	13. To Be Loyal

**Chapter Thirteen: To Be Loyal**

Note to self. Never get involved with one of Godric's crazed plans again. Ever. Through all of my existence, so long as I live.

"Pass the vial over here, would you Salazar?" whispered Godric loudly. Begrudgingly I took the vial from under my cloak and handed it to him. We were in the Dining Hall, two hours early, and Godric and I were the soul inhabitants. We were spiking certain peoples drinks with a concoction that would… actually I have no idea what it would, seeing as it was not I who brewed it, but Weasley and Tate. I on the other hand, was busy with Godric and Gennie, setting up traps all around the Dining Hall at the time. Now Gennie was with Helga and Rowena, terrorizing the room and ruining costly possessions while Tate and Weasley were busy acting as… decoys. Or, more accurately, they were going to take Elswyth and friends out horseback riding. It would have been quite an amusement to see that and it looked much more harmless as well, but no, I was here, with Godric, pouring who-knows-what into goblets in the middle of a dark and Dining Hall.

I watched as Godric twitched- silence made him more nervous than anything, and we couldn't exactly be boisterous. My only hope was that he didn't break anything, I didn't know about him, but I wasn't the best with repairing spells.

Sometimes I wonder where my life is going. Why I am performing such childish acts, when there are so many more important and worthwhile things to be done in the world. And then I felt a movement in my pocket and I remembered.

"Be still," I commanded under my breath, in the language I had just discovered.

"What was that, Sal?" Godric wrinkled his nose and turned around. I stuffed my hands in pocket.

"I said 'be still'. You were twitching so horribly, I thought you might knock the goblet over," I explained nonchalantly. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Oh," he nodded, "Right then. Thanks mate. Anyway, that's the last of the potion- best be off to prepare for dinner, eh?" He stuffed the empty vile into classy burgundy robes, a mischievous grin on his face.

The movement in my pocket started again as I followed Godric out the door. It coiled around my fingers, slithering up my arm. Salencia a garden snake and newest and dearest of my friends found herself resting on my bare shoulder, under my robes. She began to speak and I shushed her again, just a little too loudly.

"Are you sure you're alright, Sal?" Godric asked as we walked through the empty stone corridors where our footsteps echoed lonely, breaking up the silence.

"Just peachy," I responded coolly, "Now, I best be off. Punctuality is key, after all. Wouldn't want to miss the show." Godric clasped my shoulder and nodded his goodbye. He went his way, and I mine. The corridors I trekked through were narrower, and unkempt in comparison to the rest of the castle. Godric did not know of this place in his own home, and a more sheltered boy I never did see. Godric may act as if he was brave, but he had not faced the same tests I have. He has not gone through the same hardships, the longing for something better, the inability to leave a world of dirt and grime. No, Godric Gryffindor had not been tested- yet. But time came with whispers of a new future, and the walls had ears.

Salencia popped her head out of my sleeve and I growled at her- I did not want to be seen with a snake up my sleeve, it would definitely be difficult managing to get out that explanation. And though I knew if hard-pressed I could do it, but I didn't have the time.

I strode into the dust infested place I called my room, which I shared with several other boys of my status- all of whom I did not know. The area was vacant, most boys appeared to have only one or two sets of clothing- there was no point of changing into new clothes, and most people weren't as adamant about bathing often as I. They had come to accept the dirt they had been born into, but I, I could do better.

"Your friend is an imbessssile," stated my little green snake friend, Salencia, as I held my arm up to my bedpost so as to allow her to coil her slender body around it.

"He's… powerful, a strong wizard. Born into a powerful family, too," I defended feebly as I stripped off the robes I donned for a more extravagant outfit on loan from Godric. He was more robust than I, and so the emerald green robes made me look quite sickly when paired off with my pallid complexion, which was in contrast with thick black hair. All in all, I looked like a sickly, grouchy, ghost. I could just see Rowena laughing at me, and Helga, though of poorer breeding a better mannered girl, suppressing a fit of giggles. I glared even harder at my reflection in the cracked and musty mirror.

"Of coursssse he iss powerful and from a good lineage- have I ever ssstated otherwissse? It doesss not mean, however, that he cannot be an imbesssile at the ssame time," Salencia said with an outburst of anger, "And that is why it isss imperative you continue your camaraderie with the boy. Hard timesss are to come my friend or sso my brethren sssay. Godric Gryffindor will play a sssignificant role in the outcome of what iss to come, I am sssure of it. But he cannot complete his tasssk without anyone to teach him to grow up, to sshow him the difficultiess and painss of life which he will be fighting to keep out of the magical world. That is where you come in, Sssalazar Ssslytherin; you must remind him what he iss to fight for. No one elsse is more fit for this tassk than you, for it iss your life. You mussst keep him on hiss path, and great thingsss will come of it."

I continued to stare at myself in the mirror. I saw a boy approaching manhood, a boy vying for greatness, for power. A boy who would much rather be in the limelight than to show another to supremacy.

"Why can't I be the one to do all those great things you speak of?" I queried, swiveling around to face the snake, "You have said yourself that you see an immense potential within me. Why must I show Godric the path to greatness, and never walk it myself?"

If snakes could shrug, I could easily imagine Salencia shrugging now, "To each hisss own duty. Do not fret, for you will achieve a different ssort of greatnesss, Salazar Slytherin."

I felt anger shoot across my body, barbarically grasped the bedpost, shaking it violently, eyeing the snake mockingly, "And what sort of greatness would that be, oh Intelligible One?"

She gave a hiss of contempt, slithering down the pole she was coiled around, making her grand entrance. I gave an angry snort- who did she think she was anyway? It wasn't like she was even a particularly dangerous creature- for Merlin's sake, she wasn't even poisonous! I was a wizard, I had magic on my side, and I need not listen to a lowly being such as her.

But she had taken me in like her own child, like a mother, whereas my own mother had sent me away. She had to do it, I suppose, for my magical education, but she had flung me away to a place where I knew no one to speak of whatsoever. Salencia on the other hand, upon discovery of one of my powers- the ability to speak to her race- instead abandoned whatever other plans she might have had to be a guide to lead the way to cultivating this new found power, and giving him advice on other things regarding life. How could he turn someone so faithful away?

"No, come back," I whimpered pleadingly, pathetically, "Please, Salencia, I didn't mean to use such foolish words towards you. Forgive me, I beg of you Salencia…"

I crawled on my hands and knees after my friend, almost forgetting the expensive clothes I now donned and not really caring. It wasn't important, now, if my guide was to go away. My friend swiftly slithered away. But in the end I did not stop her, though I could have caught her in my hands if I had wanted to. But it wouldn't have been the same if I trapped her. I wanted her to come back of her own accord. And so I picked myself up off the stone cold floor, brushing the dirt off my clothing, and fell onto my bed face down, allowing the blanket to eagerly absorb just one salty hot tear.

"Salazar, you're slower than the sloth I've read about! Come now, Helga and Gennie went ahead, we've got to go to dinner, it's the most important- Salazar?" Rowena stopped her babble as she looked down upon my pathetic figure. I saw her enter from the corner of my eye, and turned away for shame of being seen in such a state. I could just see her biting at her lip, the way she always does when she's nervous.

"Salazar? Are you quite alright?" I felt as one of her small hands was placed upon my shoulder. I did not respond. I felt the mattress shift as she sat at the corner of my bed. "You know what, I think I'll fetch Helga, she's much better with things like feelings."

"No!" I said, a little louder than I had meant it, sitting up in my bed, "Not you too- I mean, don't go," I said, regaining some composure, "It's not polite to rouse someone from their slumber and then leave. You must wait."

"A likely story," she stated disbelievingly. I stared at my younger companion, at just eleven she still looked like a plain little girl, dark brown hair tied back neatly in a braid and piercing brown eyes calculating me just as they calculated everything else they saw. I stared at her for at least five minutes, and Rowena felt my stare, and turned her gaze away. I realized the very awkward position we were in, a noble girl and a stable boy alone in a room sitting on a bed. Someone could very well barge in and get the wrong idea.

"You're a good friend, for waiting," I muttered. We made the way to the dining hall I had just exited not an hour before, through the halls that were now bustling with people.

"Oh, thank you," Rowena replied quietly. She seemed disappointed. I did not know why.

In the light of an enormous candelabrum and filled with people the Dining Hall looked more magnificent than ever. Everything was expensive and extravagant, and I felt like a stranger in a land I longed to know.

Godric's plan seemed to be running smoothly, the Black girl and her posse was where he needed them to be, Godric was having what looked like a very in-depth discussion with Black in which she was doing most of the talking (probably about how wonderful she thought she was). A bored looking Gennie was seated next to Weasley, who drummed his fingers nervously, knowing what was to come. Helga sat with the girls from her dormitory, donning the plain outfit of a peasant girl. I sneered- she was pushing away her chance to improve her status by not borrowing one of Rowena's dresses, and though I liked her brother Helmfried, I found somewhat of a burning anger for her.

The tables were set up in horizontal rows, ours being the first, and Helga sitting towards the back. Seats were only one side of the long mahogany tables so that all could see the raised platform were ten plain wooden chairs faced us children- empty, lonely, yearning to be filled. They represented the more lavish thrones those chosen for Merlin's Circle, in the Council Hallk miles and miles away. I would fill one of them, I knew. Godric would fill another; it just had to be so in order for Salencia's words to ring true. As to the eight remaining, I did not know.

Behind the chairs was another platform, where Godric's family and some other nobles sat. Among them was a proud, muscular man in regal blue robes in his late-thirties. Golden curls in a long and tame mane a proud beard and piercing dark eyes gave him a deadly look. And yet, when I followed his gaze to the person he stared at so intently, then looked back to him, there was no doubt the two were related.

So this was Godric's father.

Godric seemed to have notice the stare too, and continued an attempt to talk to Black… why I'm an idiot- of course that's why he's talking to her- his father was watching, and he had probably arranged the manage. This also implied that Godric was officially afraid of something, his father, but I doubted it.

"Attention, attention, Lord Gryffindor wishes to speak," a woman stood from her seat at the adults' table. Everyone began to settle down and take their seats and quiet down as intimidating Lord Gryffindor stood from his seat.

"Good evening, one and all. You have stayed at my home for just over a week, but I have not yet made an appearance. For those of you who may not know my face, I am Lord Gryffindor, head of the Gryffindor line and quite an important member of the Wizard's Council, which some of you may one day be lucky enough to join. But we are not here today to look for future Council member recruits," he gave a hearty laugh, and the children nervously joined him, "No, now we are looking for something else. It is said that it was prophesized by Merlin himself that around this time, ten of the lands youngest witches and wizards would outshine the rest. Ten children whose power would out-measure any other wizard of the era, ten to change the world, as we know it, forever," he paused, as if to let the enormity of the words sink in, but I wasn't paying attention to his speech. No, I was paying attention to the strange glint in Lord Gryffindor's eyes, suppressed as it was, it irked me.

Something was not right. I just didn't know what it was yet.

"It is said that there would be tests for the children to pass to be able to tell if they were one of the Circle. And so, to honor this prophecy- for there is no proof left that it is actually true, the Council decided to take in hundreds of children to test to see who these ten may be," he said it like they were sincerely interested, but the way I figured it they just wanted to make sure these kids didn't overpower them, "Some of you have been chosen, by lineage, others by prophecy, others because you have exhibited great talent. Whatever the situation may be, you have been selected to attend the testing, so be grateful that you have been given that chance at the hospitality of me and of my family.

"However, now is the time to announce those children who have the tests, who are destined to join in Merlin's Circle. And as predicted, only ten out of the hundreds have passed. This scroll," from his robes he pulled out a long roll of parchment, letting the long scroll unravel to the floor as he held the other end in front of him, "For your knowledge in the powers of numbers, the Art of Arithmancy, we call upon Master Raedan Weasley," he announced. I turned to look at Raedan, who immediately jumped from his seat out of surprise more than anything. With a nervous smile plastered upon his face and tripped over his feet as he walked forward. When I got called- and I knew I would be- I would hope not to look so foolish. Lord Gryffindor waited until Raedan sat down in the chair all the way to the left that stood before the children's table. Other kids looked upon the plain chairs greedily, yearning to sit up there. I just leaned back in my own chair and sighed.

"For his knowledge in that which has yet to come, the art of fortune-telling, we call upon Brogan Marksman." A gross-looking pudgy boy came forth with an arrogant air, and Rowena snorted.

"You know that boy?" I questioned her in a whisper as a third boy was called upon. Rowena took a deep breath and tried to stifle her giggles.

"He erm… attempted to tell my future quite miserably, if you know what I mean," she replied with a smirk.

"Ah," I nodded as a fourth boy took his seat on a chair. So far none of them looked quite that extraordinary, and I began to doubt the methods used; there was lanky Weasley, greasy Marksman, a little boy who resembled a patch of dirt. Only the third boy looked at all noble.

"And now for our first girl," said Lord Gryffindor, and I saw Rowena sit up a little straighter in her seat, "For her talents in the arts of Legilemency and Occlumency, we call upon Melinda Thompson."

I quickly clamped my jaw shut as I watched a smug looking Melinda stroll to her seat, curls bouncing behind her. Rowena looked as if she was going to kill her. I smirked in amusement.

"Just because she was called upon doesn't mean that you won't be as well," I reasoned with her. She crossed her arms and continued to glare outward.

"Salazar!" Godric whispered urgently, "This is going to ruin the entire plan-"

And then my name was called.

It felt strange to have everyone's eyes upon me, watching me as I got up from my seat, exchanged nods with Lord Gryffindor and the rest. But strange in a good way, I found I enjoyed it. Thompson gave me a small smile as I sat next to her.

"Why don't we all be friends?" she asked sweetly, battering her eyelashes at me that I suppose was meant to be seductive but only worked to nauseate me.

"Of course," I replied dryly.

"And, for her achievements in the cursing and Dark Arts, we call upon Miss Elswyth Black."

And, swaying her hips as she brushed by Lord Gryffindor, she sat on my other side, wearing a satisfied smirk on her face.

I have never seen Rowena looking more infuriated. Black must have noticed to, as she sneered in Rowena's direction and waved.

"For her gifts in the arts of Transfiguring and in Enchantments, we call upon Miss Rowena Hufflepuff."

It was now Rowena's turn to smirk as she strode forward into the eighth seat. There were only two seats left now. One for Godric I assumed; and one for someone else. Helga? I doubted it, maybe earlier on, but there had to be at least one more person who was more gifted or could harness their magical powers out there than Helga.

BOOM!

Colored bits of cloth exploded from the ceiling falling everywhere. An army of leprechauns (all illusions, of course) appeared on the table where Weasley, Rowena, Black, Thompson and I were earlier seated, and where Godric, Gennie, Leofric, Addie, and Prosperity still sat. Gennie let out a bout of laughter about the same time Prosperity shrieked. The leprechauns step danced on the table singing a merry tune. Children everywhere got up from their seats to get a better view of the ruckus, some even childish enough to flock around the table.

BAM!

An illusion of a muggle jester appeared on another table towards the back, doing tricks and cartwheels and other such things for which I have neither the patience nor time.

CRASH!

Addie opened her mouth to scream but instead breathed a column of fire from her mouth. Prosperity looked like she would gasp, but instead a small spark emitted from her mouth as well. The hall was overcome with childish laughter, as for me I tried to maintain my dignity and-

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Lord Gryffindor, infuriated. His yell was enough to put fear in all of the eyes of the children, even Godric, as they scurried like mice back to their seats in silence. The commotion stopped, the leprechauns and jesters faded, and the brightly colored bits of cloth remained on the floor and on the tables and on the children, like a sea of color.

"Now who was the hooligan behind this disgraceful disturbance," he said, walking slowly and deliberately amongst the children, "Speak now or punishment shall fall upon all of your heads."

Well I couldn't say I didn't see this coming. And Godric had made a deal, he would take a fall- there was nothing more to it than that.

"I did it, Father," said a steady voice, as Godric stood and brushed the bits of cloth off his body and out of his hair, "I am the one at fault."

The whole bloody hall gasped as was proper at the embarrassment Lord Gryffindor must feel from having his own son create such a scene of chaos.

"I see," Lord Gryffindor replied darkly, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his son.

"If you're going to punish him, you must give me equal chastisement," said a girl walking boldly toward the adult, bits of color in her flaxen hair, "I helped him when I could have otherwise informed you of the plan."

It took me a second to realize it, but that was Helga. She barely had a part in the bloody event, what was she doing getting herself in trouble for?

"I helped, uncle," chubby little Gennie stood on her chair.

"As did I!" Raedan stood from his seat. I choked at the display of loyalty- how foolish!

"And I!"

"Me as well!"

Heads turned as they saw Rowena and Leofric also stand, joining together until all six of them stood in front of Lord Gryffindor, boldly, loyally, foolishly. Rowena turned and gave me a sharp look, as if daring me not to join them.

"I suppose I might have contributed to the plot too," I confessed reluctantly, taking my time as I joined the motley crew. We stood there, staring up at Lord Gryffindor, each praying that he would not be harsh with his punishment.

"An alliance not discriminating against age, or status," he began, "Albeit with a foolish purpose, is what the council has been what the Council wants from Merlin's Circle, and properly enough, five of you are part of that union."

"Five sir?" Rowena repeated a little to eagerly.

"Yes," the man nearing his forties smiled through his beard, "For my son has a seat of the Circle, and I suppose you," he said, turning to wide-eyed Helga, "Must be Miss Helga Hufflepuff, who is to maintain the last seat in the circle."

There were squeals of joy and hugs from the girls, a fist pounded into the air from Godric, and grins from everyone else. Yes, even I gave a small smile.

"That doesn't mean that you seven don't get out of you punishment," he said grimly, "But for now, let us eat."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! Finally, school was really killing me for a while there, and this week I was constantly slaughtered by midterms. But now I'm back, and I really like this chapter, I hope y'all did too. It's really long, but I had been gone for so long, so it's kind of like compensation... anyway click the little purplish button already- review:D 


	14. Family Time

**Chapter Fourteen: Family Time**

Godric's POV

Morning had come too soon for Godric Gryffindor. He had been having much too much fun just to wake up and see the castle empty out as parents tried to mask their disappointment as they retrieved their children from his home. He had enjoyed the buzz of people, the total lack of silence; the friends he made that would have to go home, and all the craziness and the pranks. Alas, this was all very sad and depressing, but at least he could still find some humor in talking about himself in the third person.

Got you there, now didn't I? Yes, this is what happens when I'm bored; I have to find ways to entertain myself. And that can sometimes be a very tricky thing to do, seeing as I like to think of myself as the sort of person who happens to have a high standard of entertainment.

Our group of seven had been disbanded. Leo had to go home and get ready for his marriage to the ninny-girl, Addie, Helga and Gennie were saying their goodbyes to departing friends, Raedan was with his mother and father, celebrating his good fortune, and Salazar was no where to be seen. Rowena said he was probably hiding from her mother, who would put him to work on the spot, new member of Merlin's Circle or not. That left me and Rowena, standing with her sisters in their painfully pink room (still looking as if it had not recovered from Gennie, Helga, and Rowena's endeavors- three beds even had their curtains totally torn) just as their plump and gaudy mother arrived.

"My daughters!" she exclaimed, hugging both Prosperity the Pig and Adela the Ninny, as I had dubbed them, each in turn. Rowena had a stony expression on her face, fists clenched. She said nothing.

"Mummy!" her two older daughters shrieked with joy, while the plainest and smallest of them all looked on as if she wasn't even one of their kin. I tried to grab Rowena's attention, somehow ask her what was going on nonverbally, but to no avail.

"Prosperity, my dear, my poor darling dear, your living quarters look so horrid! What have they done to my baby?" the mother, whose heavy perfume was starting to make me sick, pinched the Pig's cheeks. I snorted, baby? Over-sized piglet, would be more accurate.

"But mummy, the girls we roomed with, they were of high status. We made allegiances, contacts, with the Black and Thompson houses." Her mother patted her head in appreciated.

"That's a dear. Now Prosperity, you will make your way down the hall where you'll find your escort- she'll settle you down in the carriage. Go along dear," she said, then turned to the Ninny, "And now for my little bride to be!"

"Good morning, Mum," the Ninny smiled in her stupidly sweet way, adjusting her hair just the way her mother liked it.

"Oh, pet, my darling pet, you look like a fine woman already at the age of fourteen. How have you liked Leofric?"

The Ninny blushed, "You have picked out a good man, Mum. I look forward to our marriage day." I had to agree with the Ninny on that one. Leofric was a good chap, one who deserved a wife that was not as dull as the Ninny was.

"Good, good," said her mother, satisfied as she hugged the girl close to her, "Because we have moved up the wedding to next summer, and there is much work to be done before then."

Rowena finally spared me a glance, with a raised eyebrow and a smirk that conveyed everything. Her mother was obviously moving up the wedding because the Hufflepuffs were out of money, and would not be such an appealing match in the coming future, or it could be because they were running out of money and the mother actually cared for her daughter and wanted her to go to a good home where she would be properly taken care of.

Probably the former.

"And for that matter, pet, you will not be returning home," the Ninny took a step back at that news, "You will be returning with Leofric. His mother would like for you to learn the ways of their household, so that you will be able to run their abode smoothly by the time of your marriage. You'll find an escort waiting for you down the hallway as well, and the elves should be in this ruckus of the room any moment now to bring your things to the Tate carriage"

Addy swallowed hard, although clearly working hard to keep a straight face, "I guess I will try and do my best, then."

Without any further displays of affection, Addie walked slowly out of the room. Even she probably realized what this meant. She was never going home again. At least, she was changing homes, from the Hufflepuffs to the Tates.

And Rowena's face remained stony and unchanging.

"And who are you, boy?" Mistress Hufflepuff asked patronizingly, "That you would find it proper to walk in on the private council of my family."

"Godric's my friend, Mum," Rowena broke her silence, "Godric Gryffindor. This is his family's home."

Mistress Hufflepuff did not seem to register her youngest daughter talking, but made her way towards me, the scent of her perfume getting all the stronger and more nauseating, if that was even possible.

"Oh Godric dear! How thankful my family is for extending such a warm welcome to my daughters," she said saccharinely, "Of course you know my oldest daughter, Mildred has made a fine wife, and she even has a child on the way. And as you can see my Adela is a beautiful specimen that would do any family proud-"

"Oh no Mistress Hufflepuff!" I sputtered stupidly, and Rowena flushed and looked away, "I'm not here as a suitor for Rowena!"

"Of course you're not!" Rowena's mum laughed way to warmly, "Rowena's such a plain, small little recluse who would never be able to run a good keep. Prosperity would be a much better wife for one of your status."

My eyes widened, my stomach twisted, and my face paled… I had the distinct feeling that I was going to be sick, and the strong perfume and the pinkness of the room was not helping in the least.

"Um, Mistress Hufflepuff… well, I'm betrothed actually," I stammered, for once glad about it, at least it gave me an excuse to use in awkward situations such as this.

Mistress Hufflepuff made her "most heartfelt apologies for her very forward behavior" and told me how polite and handsome I was and what a prize I was to my family.

"And maybe, if you're lucky Rowena, you just might be able to marry someone half as decent as his servant," Mistress Hufflepuff said in her overly sweet voice. Rowena still said nothing, glaring into the wall, obviously trying hard not to acknowledge her mother's presence. It was pretty much awkward like this until her mother gave up on starting conversation and left the room.

"I'm sorry about the way my mother acts," Rowena apologized immediately, "I assure you, I try my best to be nothing like her."

"Don't worry about it," I reassured her, "Parents aren't perfect, my parents aren't perfect either."

Rowena quirked an eyebrow, "Really? Your father seemed like a very nice man, from what I've seen, at least."

"Yes, a little too nice," I said quietly, thinking of all his conduct at the taverns he frequently visited and the affairs he had on the side that he thought nobody knew about, however, my father's weakness for women made him pretty bad at keeping secrets.

Well, this was getting to be quite the awkward conversation, I had to think of something fun and interesting, "How about we try to gather everyone from the Circle and start a full castle game of hide-and-go-seek? I know you don't like games, but you can just hide in the library because nobody would ever think to look there."

"I'd like that," she smiled softly. Rowena Hufflepuff could not hide her emotions, not completely; I could see that her mother had upset her. And me, being me, had to cheer her up, because life was no fun when the people around you weren't happy.

Five minutes down the hall and we saw Adela approaching us, followed by a fat man in his twenties whose frazzled curly blond hair made him look even more anxious to get her to her carriage than he already was.

"Good Merlin, I thought Mum would never leave. And then you two were in the room for awhile, and Cormac over here was getting impatient," she said, as if it was absolute normalcy for her to just talk to her sister so openly like that. Rowena just stared in disbelief.

"All I really wanted to say was congratulations on the Circle thing. I knew I wasn't getting in, seeing as I'm not especially… well, not as bookish as you, I guess. So at least they picked people who actually like learning and all that. I just wanted to say that now, because I knew Prosperity and Mum would go bonkers if I were to compliment you in front of them, and I don't like to cause a fuss, it might give me wrinkles," she kissed her sister on the cheek, "So if you ever need to, you can come to my new home if you like, at the Tates, you know. Until we meet again."

The Ninny… or was she really a Ninny- I couldn't be sure of that at the moment- tossed her long dark hair to the side, flashed a smile, and was off.

And Rowena's jaw dropped.

Neither Rowena nor I understood it then, because we were the type of people who took things at face value. Rowena took her facts from books, and I from my experience, and we accepted them, and used these facts, but Rowena was not the type to question her books, at least not yet, and I think that I'm just, well usually right (and arrogant, as Salazar would say). It was that fault that bound us together, because we would have to overcome it in the upcoming years.

But no more of that forlorn and depressing stuff. Like I said earlier, it's not fun to be upset.

* * *

It was mid afternoon, and we were all in the courtyard again, even Elswyth and Melinda, for lack of anything better to do. The rest of us just sat or played. We finally got to meet each other for the first time, and I think that we'll get along well, at least for the most part. Anyway, here's my account of everybody in the Circle, and Gennie of course. Just so that you know what they're all like.

Mostly Elswyth looked on at the rest of us scornfully, and once in a while tried talking to me. I doubt that ever happening. She must be powerful and all, to have gotten here, but she is still a Black, and if my Auntie doesn't trust them, neither do I.

Rowena was sat under her tree again, reading a different book this time. Books were her comfort, I had learned, and Helga was the only one who could be counted on to ever get her to come out of that comfort area, as well as Salazar, on the rare occasion.

Salazar sat with a very bored expression on his face under the shade of the same tree, not doing much of anything, really. He's quite the odd chap, but he's got some nerve when he chooses to, he's sarcastic, but he's my friend, so it doesn't matter that he's strange.

As for Helga, she was the only girl whose actually played out in the courtyard, though every five minutes Elswyth found it prudent to remind her how unladylike she was being. Me and the boys distracted her from them, because the last thing we needed around here is another girly-girl.

I think Gennie would have been out here playing with us too, but she went with Aunty Esma to get their new dresses tailored. Girls and their dresses. I'm going to have to get Gennie out of that dull, girlish, habit before she becomes a lost cause like Elswyth is.

There's also Raedan of course. I think he is as bookish as Rowena sometimes, but he knows how not to be boring. However, if he keeps relating circumstances to things he's read, I might just have to hex him. Not badly, of course, just so that he'll get the idea.

Oh, and there's the greasy haired Brogan boy. He's fat and slow, and an easy target in the game of tag. He claims that he can foresee where we are going to be running, and the rest of our weeks', for that matter. I think it's a load of rubbish.

I've almost forgotten Melinda. Strange, because that girl stands out with her dark curls. She sat next to Elswyth the whole time, and like Salazar was quiet. Of course, unlike Salazar Melinda gave the occasional smirk or sneer to back up whatever Elswyth said. Other than that, she was silent.

There is this tiny page, Tibbot, but we nicknamed him Tibbs. At nine, he's the youngest, the dirtiest, and the most eager out of everyone. I really can't understand why he was chosen, but when I said so Helga scolded me. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Allric may be just eleven, like Rowena, but he is practically the epitome of nobleness. It took much coaxing to get him to play tag, because it's not the most mature of games. He's a pretty fierce competitor and will probably be fun if he ever stops being so polite.

Then there's me, Godric Gryffindor, the bold, the proud, and if I do say so myself, the witty joker, and the king of tag. But I'm also the keeper of many secrets unknown to his friends. A fourteen year-old from a family of many cleverly concealed secrets not yet revealed.

And now, with the other nine kids here, it was going to be hard as anything trying to keep them that way.

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**Author's Scribble: **I haven't updated in a million years! Mytime management of homework and school stuff hasn't been all that great as of late. The little drabble about the ten kids of the Circle was mostly just to recap who all the kids were sort of, and you will notice that each description was exactly fifty words (I was challenging myself to do it, and I did). Anyway, all reviews, praise, constructive criticism, flames, and random messsages are greatly appreciated. And, as a spoiler, since you all deserve it, the next chapter is going to be called, "The Makings of Rowena Raven Claw." I'll leave you to your thoughts on that one. 


	15. The Makings of Rowena Ravenclaw

**Author Scribbles:** Hey reading and reviewing people- miss me? I really, really, enjoyed writing this chapter, which probably means it's horrible. But it is the second longest. Anyway, this is the beginning of the six chapter countdown. This story is going to be twenty chapters long, and then I'm going to make a sequel. It just works out better in my mind that way. For more info on that, go to my all-knowing profile. :D

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**Chapter Fifteen: The Makings of Rowena Ravenclaw**

Rowena's POV

TWO YEARS LATER

"The dawn is coming!"

I rolled over unceremoniously in my bed, covering my head with one of the silky blue pillows. It was so comfortable.

"Rowena Hufflepuff, you come out of that room right this minute, you know how Mister Courtenay is when we are tardy," Helga warned from the other side of my locked door.

My eyes fluttered opened to blurs of blue- my curtains. I yawned, stretching my arms out, slowly and unwillingly sitting up in my bed as I regained my conciousness.

"Alohamora," I heard Helga say from the other side of the door. Good Merlin- I had only just remembered! We had our lessons to attend that morning, as we did every morning. But I'm not much of a morning person, and so you can't blame me for my forgetting.

"Rowena!" Helga exclaimed as she thrusted the curtains open, and I groaned and covered my eyes as the light shown through. "Rowena,how could you? Oh, Mister Courtenay will have our hides for this! Now dear, you get undressed as quickly as possible, I'll retrieve your garments- we'll have to do something about your hair... oh, we are most certainly going to miss breakfast, but only that, if we are in luck," she rambled as she paced around the room back and forth with clothing like a worried mother hen, "Rowena, your nearly thirteen- practically a grown woman! You must learn to wake with the dawn, just like everyone else."

I put on my chemise, a long white shirt of linen that fell down to my ankles, "If your so worried, you just go along without me. No reason for you to get in trouble, too."

I could practically see Helga roll her blue eyes from behind me as she laced up the crimson bliaut from behind me. I hated the color of the bliaut, the long overgarment's color was just too loud and intense for my liking. I preferred the calm seriousness of blue, which was why I had chosen it for my room at the Gryffindor Manor. Helga's is yellow, and I have reason to believe that Godric and Gennie's rooms were red, like that matching bliauts that we all wore, for uniformity.

Helga said they were to remind us that we were all equal.

Salazar said that they were to remind us that we were still, after two years, all guests at the Gryffindor manor.

I for one, agreed with both.

I remember Melinda and Elswyth's original disdain at having to look like everyone else. Tibby had innocently reminded that the the girl's bliauts had bell-shaped sleeves, while boys' did not, and that was a difference. She'd shot him with an icy glare, and probably more, had he not been nine at the time.

"And your belt," Helga added as I stepped toward the door and I rolled my eyes at my own absentmindedness. Helga handed me my leather belt, more useful for th fact that it held my wand in its pouch than for giving any shape to my dress and tied it around my waist.

And so Helga dragged me by the hand, lecturing me about maturity as we hastened through the stony halls of Gryffindor manor, till finally we had reached our destination.

Meals had not been held in the Great Hall ever since the rest of the children had vacated the manor. There had not been such large crowd to feed or so many guests since then, so there was no reason to go through all the trouble of setting it up every day. Instead, we broke fast in the morning in Mister Courtenay's sitting room, a great honor.

The floor was of stone, and blue drapes covered the windows. Armchairs of many colors were sprawled haphazardly across the room, stone tables situated nearby for food to be placed. Salazar always complained about this setup, he was one for tidiness and order. However, I had to disagree. Like Helga, I believed the atmosphere of the room was quite homey.

Today Raedan (who could get along with most everybody), Allric(whose strong sense of chivalry sometimes greatly annoyed me), Tibbs (who only got along with people who had enough patience to try and tame a dragon. Not that I've ever seen a dragon, but from what I've read I would imagine it would be rather difficult) and Brogan (I don't understand how anyone could get along with that greasy-haired fake, but that was just me) sat together breaking fast on one side of the room.

On the other, Salazar sat on a dull green armchair next to Godric, who was in a worn old brown chair. And across from him sat one other person in a newer looking brown armchair sat…

Elswyth?

Without Melinda.

Right then. That made no sense. There was no logic to it whatsoever! Yes, it was quite logical for Elswyth to wear an extremely fitting bliaut and throw herself at Godric why, that happened every day. But never without Melinda to nod and laugh at all the appropriate times.

This was not normal. As a creature of habit, I did not like or accept this one bit. It would probably be best to avoid both Elswyth and Melinda until such time that I had figured out what was going on.

"Maybe we should-"

"Oh come off it, Rowe. We always sit with Salazar and Godric for breakfast. It would be rude to avoid them," Helga had obviously made the same observations as I had and rolled her eyes at me and continued to drag me buy the wrist.

"Yes, mother," I responded, sarcastically, jokingly.

"Well someone needs to do it," she mutted under her breath. I don't think she meant for me to hear it.

But I stopped in my tracks, pulling my hand away from her, as if I didn't know her at all. We were standing right in front of Godric, Salazar, and Elswyth, but I paid no attention to them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked her sharply.

Helga turned a round, clearly surprised. For a moment I let my guard down. It was just Helga after all. She was my friend.

But no. She knew that I was not a morning person, and it was through no fault of my own that I was so grumpy at this time. She also knew that I was a creature of habit, and she should know why Elswyth sitting there alone irked me. I couldn't help but be who I am. Because if I'm not me, who am I? Even the thickest of nonmagicals could have seen the logic in my argument.

"You know what Rowena? You can just... just, you can just come back to me when you learn to grow up," Helga fumbled with her words, pivoted around and started off in Melinda's direction. I made to follow her, but a soft pale hand caught my wrist. With my eyes I followed the owner of the hand, only to lock eyes with a very smug looking Elswyth.

"Good _morning_ Rowena dear! How are you on this very lovely morning?" she drawled, her voice overly sweet. I snatched my hand back from hers, and if only glares could kill then I would have...

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much," I responded cooly. My gaze turned back to Helga, who appeared to be conversing with a reluctant looking Melinda. How odd.

She smiled widely at me, apparently choosing to ignore my unpleasant words and my lack of attention, "Oh Rowena darling, you must sit down and join us! Godric, Salazar and I had just been conversing about Godric and mine wedding! It is in two months you know."

As I sat down in the auburn chair next to her, I decided that it really did appear as if they were discussing the upcoming wedding. Big, strong Godric looked half asleep, dark golden curls covering tired eyes. And Salazar, who had just experienced a sudden growth spurt in the past year, and was now quite tall and thin, was better at hiding his emotions. But I knew Salazar, I knew him well, and his fingers twitched when he was experiencing unsufferable boredom. And this morning, his fingers twitched uncontrollably.

I pouted mockingly at him. His eyebrows furrowed innocently. Hah, as if he didn't know what I was mock pouting about.

"So Rowena," I could tell Elswyth was going to beginone of her excruciatingly long rambles by the way sheshifted in her seat,"Anyway, who do you suppose you'll attend my wedding with. Tibbot would go with young Gwenhyfar, of course, their suited by age. And Helga's blond hair and fair lookswould go quite nicely with Salazar's black hair, don't you think? Which leaves the only age appropriate person for that sulky bore, Melinda, to be Raedan, which would leave you with either Allric or Brogan."

My eyes flared with anger. Brogan was fifteen years-old like Melinda! Though I supposed that even if Elswyth was currently referring to her cousin as "a sulky bore" she was still higher on the social pyramid in Elswyth's mind than I. And Elswyth probably also realized how much I couldn't stand Allric and his chivalrous "let's- put-the-women-on-the-pedestal-and-fawn-over-them-and-their-delicateness" ways. Damn her.

"Salazar and Helga?" was all I could say

And what was this about Helga and Salazar? Now that was a laugh. I could never see them as a couple, not even one of those chivalrous not-real for-court-purposes only far-off relationships troubadours and minstrels loved so much to sing of. Besides, it was stupid to pair off people based on the way they looked. No logic to it. It was a wonder Salazar was able to keep his composure, I know I was having trouble keeping from laughing at the thought of it. Hey- he wasn't laughing! Actually, come to think of it, he looked rather amused when that was all I could say. What is this?

"I told Elswyth she was talking nonsense," Godric cut in, apparently trying to act as peace maker in Helga's absence. Helga. The more the morning went on, the more annoyed I was of her.

"Evanesco," a cool, even voice barely whispered, but the sound could be heard throughout the room, as allof the foods and plates disappeared. Darn- I'd forgotten to eat anything, and lunch was still hours away. I said nothing, of course. It wouldn't do to go about upsetting Mister Courtenay.

There was no telling how old the wizard standing in the doorway actually was, Tibbs believes that he was a good friend of Merlin, which is ridiculous, because Merlin lived centuries ago. But as I previously stated, there was no telling with the tall, somber man with shocking white hair and a beard that fell just past his shoulders. He gave off the appearance of frailty and all the weaknesses that come with age. And then you saw him throw a complicated hex, and he looked just as young as the rest of us. He's alway been a great mentor and teacher since we've had him these two years, much better than the crackpot we had at home. In his heart, I'm sure he wasquite a nice man.

But it never did well to get on Mister Courtenay's bad side. For he was a master, a perfectionist, and all those that didnot live up to his standards best leave.

"Miss Hufflepuff," he said, his voice old and shaky, "Be a good witch and pass around the scrolls, would you? The history ones we left off at yesterday. Mister Marksman, the quills, and Mister Weasely, the ink bottles, if you please."

He said it so politely, but we all knew it was an order, and Brogan, Raedan and I all jumped up at once, each with a reply of "Yes sir."

"And Miss Hufflepuff and Miss Hufflepuff?" He added as I carried all the scrolls in my arms, taking them off the shelves of the bookcase in the corner, "Do try to be more prompt next time."

I flushed, "Yes sir." It was practically a normality for the elderly man to know things he should not.

One by one I handed out the scrolls, giving mine to Godric to hold (it was much more safer than asking Salazar, you see) while I handed out the rest. Last were Helga's and Melinda's.

I approached the two older girls with caution, and they seemed toignore my presence as I placed their scrolls near the curtained windowsill on which they sat.

"Well, it could mean unease if your having bad dreams, but this is probably something you should go to Brogan for. I don't deal with the indistinctness of the art of prediction of the future," Melinda whispered in her haughty yet somewhat concerned way.

"But I don't think it's anything to do with the future. I feel small, and I'm running- it's... different, and I, I'm,"Helga answered frantically in her own whispers, but quickly clamped her mouth shut when Melinda put a hand on her shoulder, alerting Helga to my presence. Since when was Helga having nightmares. I know she hasn't confided in me, but here she was, blabbering to Melinda. We were supposed to share everything! Helga refused to meet my eyes.

"So you've been having nightmares and you haven't told me?" I asked, my voice tense and wavering ever so slightly as I tried not to raise my voice in anger.

"I think you've already done enough here," Melinda's green eyes bored threateningly into mine, and I looked away only because I knew her to be a Legimencer and I didn't want her looking into my mind, thank you very much.

I looked again to Helga, but her eyes stared determinedly at the ground.

The girl looked as satisfied as a Chesire cat as she grinned an arrogant, "Be gone."

One last glance at Helga- but it did nothing. I turned around to walk back towards Salazar, Godric, and Elswyth as Mister Courtenay began his lecture, something about the prophecies of Mango or Merrow or Menno or Mallow or something like that, I wasn't quite sure. My mind could not concentrate without my best friend, without the girl who was practically my sister, sitting next to me and looking determined and constantly asking questions which always made me feel smarter because I always knew the answer. Or at least usually.

"Better to be in a fight with Helga, than to be like Godric, what with Elswyth practically stalking him," Salazar commented dryly, whispering in my ear, for some reason making me all tense and making the hairs on the back of my hand stand on end.

I chose not to look at Helga or Godric and Elswyth or even Salazar, staring hard at my scroll, burying my problems in my studies the way I always did when my problems got out of hand.

Maybe I could grow up, grow outof my set in ways, I thought as I bit at my lip nervously. I always bit at my lip when I was nervous.

Well, it had to start somewhere.

This time I bit at the feather bit of my quill instead.

* * *

"Miss Hufflepuff, do you recall why you had been chosen for Merlin's Circle nigh two years ago?" Mister Courtenay asked, his voice tense and annoyed.

I bit at my lip again (you must excuse the habit, considering there was no quill to bite at this time) as I stood alone in the garden. It was afternoon, and it was my turn for private lessons while Salazar and the rest were perfecting their etiquette with Missus Esma Gryffindor. I hated etiquette, it was quite the bore, but private lessons with Mister Courtenay were dangerous as well. There were cons in having a perfectionist as a teacher, as I had learned over time.

"For my exceptional talents in transfiguration and enchantments, sir," I repeated for what must have been the hundreth time.

"And how does one express their mastery and finesse in the transfiguring arts?"

"One expresses their master and finesse in the transfiguring art by successfully completing and reversing the ultimate transfiguration- the complete transfiguration of one's self into a different living organism, sir," I repeated the nearly memorized answer for the umpteenth time. Nothing had ever troubled me so much as Animagi, in fact, I was an entire year ahead of my lesson plan, at one point. But with Animagi, I was at a loss.

I saw from the corner of my eye as Mister Courtenay and his wooden cane he rarely depended on hobbled over to a stone bench. I dared to turn around and face him.

"Miss Hufflepuff," he said, his voice tried and frustrated, "You have been attempting to decipher the animal manifestation of your inner self for months. It has taken many of the greatest wizards years to do just that. Do not think," he warned, "that just because you have an extra scrap of intelligence," (the highest compliment you could get from the aging man) "That you are any better than them. Now, I must ask of you again, are you sure-"

"I'm a Golden Eagle,and of course I'msure of it!" I burst out, and my hands covering my gaping mouth- how impertinent, how impudent, how immature, "I'm mean, I'm sorry for my interrupting you, sir. I won't let it happen again, sir." My eyes were downcast, awaiting a punishment that was sure to come.

"Miss Hufflepuff, do not lie to me," he said, amusement in his voice, and I grew curious, and slowly looked up at him only to find a strange crooked smile on his face, and he noted my curiosity, "To elaborate, Miss Hufflepuff, is that I do not believe that you will never interrupt me again. It is against your nature, you are too promethean and too intelligent not to question authority," his voice became more stern, "That is not a bad thing, but you must display disgression, you must be able to apply yourself- you must concentrate," he stapped his wooden cane into the ground hard, for extra emphasis, "Now, Miss Hufflepuff, try again, and recite the incantation in silence."

I nodded with a, "Yes, sir," not really sure of what to say to that.

I closed my eyes, tight. I was an eagle, I was flying, flying high in the air.

_The human form constrains,_

I was high, I was queen of the world, and no one was higher than me, no entity could dare to control me.

_Let my soul be free, and let my soul find,_

An eagle, I was an eagle with brown feathers, the same washed out sort of brown as my hair. And how good the wind felt to my feathers.

_The form it was meant to me, _

The world below was so small, but I could spot my prey, could smell it, could see it. Its scent called to me. I must go to it- attack it, tear at its flesh! I had to show it that it would never, could never achieve my power.

_Let it break the chains that bind._

And my talons, my sharp powerful talons! They were the best of all, my most beautiful feature. I flexed my claws, a shining raven color, looking down on a strange, graying creature that stared up at me, leaning on a stick of wood and looking proud, for some reason.

I was a Golden Eagle. I flew free, free to be what I was, whatever I was, human or eagle, I was not quite sure anymore. Free to learn all of the new things about flight, about the sky which I could now be apart of. There was so much to discover, so much to learn! And all of it, all of it, just within the grasp of my claws.

But now I must go back. The new sensation of flying and flexing my wings was too tiring to bear. There were words, words in my head that, coming back to me as if from some ancient memory. I recalled that memory. And within a moment, I was a strange creature of the groundlike the gray one who had been staring up at me moments before.

I was human.

It had worked!

I couldn't help it, I grinned crazily at my teacher, and the crooked smile graced his face once more, "So, Miss Rowena of the Raven Claws, you have mastered Animagi," he admitted, "Don't think you don't have any work left to do."

I let a small Salazar-styled smirk appear upon my face.

"I wouldn't dare, sir."

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**Extra Scribbles :** So many big plot bunnies in there, they're practically screaming! Five chapters left and according to my notes, this is the last from Rowena's point of view. It's kind of sad, really, and I'll miss writing her point of view, but it works out better that way. So now that you've read it, please help to feed the author with extra incentive to type faster and review. 


	16. Promises Made

**Author Scribbles: **At first I was going to call this chapter "Attack of the Killer Plot Bunnies" but then I realized that made no sense, because plot bunnies can't kill anyone, they can only allude to death. So, because of the Plot Bunny forecast, I'm still unsure whether this is one of my worst chapters, or my best. You can be the judge of that.

Now, as far as the ending for the story. There was a natural break in the plot, and I just figured it would be best to end it after five chapters, so that I could take some time off from the story and not feel terribly guilty about not updating and such.

Anyway, if you're still reading this note, you get a cookie for your patience, and I thank you again. Now read, and maybe even enjoy, and whether you enjoy or not, reviews would be appreciated.

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**Chapter Sixteen:** **Promises Made**

Salazar's POV

"Afternoon, Salencia, what's the good word?" I greeted in the hissing tongue of snakes as I noted my favored serpent on her favorite column in the empty and abandoned dungeons. I was the only one who ever came here, I was sure of it. The place was dusty, so no servants would come down here, and that ruled out Elswyth and Melinda as well. It was much too gloomy for Godric, Gennie, or Helga, and there were no books down here to call for Rowena, either. No proper young gentlemen like Allric and Raedan would want to inhabit such a place, either. That left Brogan and Tibbot, but neither of them seemed like the type to reside in such a place.

Of course, neither was I.

But then, that made it all the better a hideout, then didn't it?

I offered her my arm, and slowly the dark green snake left her spot to coil around it. I sat down on the ground, walking carefully so as not to disturb her on my arm or any of the other snakes on the ground. It would be quite idiotic to upset your only source of news, after all.

Silently I waited for Salencia to speak. There was no point in rushing her, she was old, in the terms of a snake's lifespan, and age had only made her even more stubborn.

"There's been more news from the south," she stated vaguely.

"Oh," I said, noncommittedly. It was a little gamewe always played. Salencia would toy with me, trying to pinpointmy weakness, makeme beg for the information she witheld. Well, I begged at first. But now I too had learned how to play her little game of unclear hints and straining patience.

"This Council of humans you care so much about is not united as one," she said nonchalantly, flicking her forked tongue out to smell the air (that is, after all, how snakes smelled things, at least, that's what she told me). Her hissing accent was nonexistant to my ears, I had learned to ignore it over time.

"I think that was established some time ago," I said, keeping my voice as devoid of emotion as humanly possible.

"The council of your kind is weakening every dawn," she said, "Everyday greed takes hold of more and more of its members. The sun is setting on this council, and I suggest you don't bother with them. They are much like Gryffindor," she added viciously, "They cling to the old ways. They are weak, and are not to be considered of any danger to the plan. The storm is brewing now, the people are ready to strike if the call should be given. The time is soon to come when-"

"Mornin' Salazar," a perky little voice smiled down at me. I glared up at the blue eyes of an eleven year-old.

"What do you want Tibbot?" I asked, my voice strained. Salencia took the opportunity to uncoil from my arm and slither away. Damn him. This better be good.

"I, well- I," Tibbot sputtered, very much aware that I had a lot of pent up anger for him, "I was wondering... do you know where Rowena is?"

My fingers curled into fists as my knuckles whitened, "You came," I said increduously, "All the way down here, just to ask me if I knew the location of a thirteen year-old girl?"

"Well, I asked Godric, and he said to ask Helga, and Helga and Melinda didn't know either, butMelinda said that you always came to the dungeons when you thought no one would realize itand Helga said you camehere, butwere most probably alone because you come here for privacy and it wouldn't be wise to interrupt you,"wow, that kid could talk a mile a minute, and he stopped for a moment to inhale a breath of stale dungeon air, "So I wasn't going to come, but then this big brown bird with big black claws attacked me so I ran, and here I am."

I blinked, taking a moment to drink in what he had said. I didn't really care about his whole little adventure, or of the unknown cause. It appeared that Helga and Melinda were becoming good friends, leaving Rowena out of the group. Rowena, for all her book knowledge, was being stupidly stubborn and refused to just apologize. In the meanwhile, Helga and Melinda became friends, a dangerous combination. Helga was on everyone's good side, with a strange insight to people's feelings. THe girlcould probably manipulate everyone into doing as she pleased, and she didn't even realize it. And well, Melinda was an obvious danger, seeing as Legimency was her field of expertise.

And then something else hit me.

Idiot boy.

"You said, a big brown bird with black talons attacked you?" I repeated, wondering if all that dirt was starting to affect Tibbot's head.

"Yes, but what has that got to do with- Oooh!" he had burst of inspiration, and his face flushed, "Rowena's gonna be furious with me that I walked away with her letter, isn't she?"

A letter? Well, that was something interesting. Letters were not so common these days, communications between manors wasn't very efficient, unless of course you could speak to snakes. They had a strange way of knowing everything.

"You know," I said smoothly, "If you wish to avoid Rowena's rage, I can give it to her for you.

The boy deliberated about it, you could see it in his face. Come on Tibbot just hand it over...

As he reached into his pocket I tried to keep a straight face and not show the fact that in my mind I was practically salivating. That actually doesn't make sense. I think Godric is starting to get to me.

"Thanks Sal," he said gratefully, as he handed it over, and I snatched it away a bit too eagerly, stuffing it into my own pocket. But really, I couldn't take any chances, now could I?

Tibbot stood there for a minute, as if unsure of what to do next. I glared at him, he got the point, and ran off. Thank Merlin.

As soon as I could no longer hear his footsteps, I unpocketed the letter, running long fingers against the blue stamp with Hufflepuff's symbol on it.

To open, or not to open. One of those philosophical questions that might have troubled some other fool. But not me.

I delicately opened the letter, sure not to make any rips. Slow and meticulous, I took the letter out and read the hastily scrawled black script.

And, as predicted, it told me exactly what I wanted to know.

I had to get Helga.

* * *

I found her in the kitchens, making Brogan a snack. According to Elswyth, who after a long, drawling story about wedding plans, finally told me that Melinda had gone off to take a nap, and apparently the pig of a boy, Brogan, took the opportunity to have Helga all to himself. She had definitely grown up ever since we got to the Manor, but then, so had the rest of us (although not so much Godric).

As I stood at the doorway, Brogan seemed to be quite taken with her, although I am quite sure that Helga has no idea whatsoever. She tends to be quite oblivious to anything having to do with herself.

And that's where I came in.

I had made many promises. I had done many things to get myself to where I am today. And Salazar Slytherin does not turn his back on a promise.

"Ahem," I cleared my throat once I had had quite enough of Brogan eyeing Helga's body like a piece of meat.

Brogan's glance turned to me, and became a sort of death glare, I suppose. It wasn't very threatening, and I raised an eyebrow, as I always did, just to annoy people. People were quite easier to manipulate when angry or annoyed.

"Mornin' Salazar," Helga greeted in her warm way, "You want anything? Brogan was getting hungry."

"I could tell," I said dryly, not tearing my gaze away from the greasy haired boy.

"I forsee great turmoil in your future," he said threateningly, pdgy hands gripping at a cloth, hard.

"You would, though, wouldn't you?" I said, enjoying toying with him, enjoyed watching his knuckles whiten as he practically attempted to mutilate the cloth in his hands.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his voice a deathly whisper, stepping closer to me so that he was right in my face. I suppose he was trying to initimidate me, but only managed to disgust me with his greasy black locks.

"The biscuits areready!" Helga pushed between us with a tray of biscuits, "Now, what do you need, Salazar?"

"I was wondering if I could have a word," I said, turning my attention back to the blond who in her own way was trying to avoid our fight, "In private, if I may."

"I'm sure it wouldn't hurt anybody if Brogan stayed," she said diplomatically. I shook my head.

"It may hurt Helmfried," I said cryptically.

She nearly dropped her tray, upon hearing the name of the brother she had not seen since leaving the Hufflepuff Manor years ago. I knew she cared for him more than anyone, her loyalties truest to him, and with Helga that really was saying something.

His loyalties were strongest to her, as well. And that was why he made me promise to look after Helga in the absence of his presence, and to do everything in my power to keep her safe.

And in return, he had given me the serpent network, the reptiles that liked the human boy solely because he was one of the few stable boys who just took them somewhere else rather than kill them like most others would. They had trusted him where they had not trusted me, and through him I gained their trust. Snakes were quite stubborn in this respect, trust was a precious thing to their kind. And once one snake trusted you, they all did.

And that was how I got Salencia.

"Brogan, I apologize, could you give us a moment?" Helga asked politely, shoving the biscuit trade into his arms.

"But-"

"Please?" Helga asked with a small smile. The girl was just being excruciatingly polite, or extremely ingenius, but probably the former. Either way, Brogan had completely fallen for it, took his biscuits, and went on his merry way.

"You look tired," I said, observing the bags under her eyes. Helga was not one to stay up late.

"I've been getting dreams lately, they're strange, and they're keeping me awake," she said offhandedly, "Now, what's going on, Salazar?" Helga asked as she closed the door behind Brogan, "What's this talk about my brother? Has anything happened to him?"

Her look of extreme worry and concern was almost enough to make me pity her and just blurt out everything I knew all at once, almost. Instead I handed her the letter.

"You'll want to read this," I said quietly.

She opened it eagerly, not even bothering toinsert a "please" or"thank you" into the conversation, as she normally would. She took one glance at the letter, and then she looked up at me suspiciously, "This letter's addressed to Rowena, Salazar."

Think fast, Slytherin, "Of course it's addressed to her," I managed to get out, then concocted an idea, "She gave it to me to give to you. You know how Rowena is, immature and stubborn. She still can't find it in herself to apologize, but being as wise as she is, knew you ought to read it. So she gave it to me to give to you in her stead."

Helga nodded, believing it readily as she looked back down at the letter. After a few minutes of meticulous scanning, she looked back up at me.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked, resting the parchment on a stone table, "Why are Master Hufflepuff and my brother running away? And who are the Muggles?"

I chose to began with the last, and by far the easiest question, "I've been talking with the snakes. They know more than they let on," I began, and Helga nodded for she knew that was my special ability, just like hers was healing, "They sat that theMuggles are a familiy of non-magicals that somehow weasled their way into the Council, basically they blackmail the Council and threaten to divulge their secrets to the rest of the non-magicals if the Council tries to get them thrown off. It's said that they're quite crafty, but are usually loyal to those that benefit them, namely people who are friendly towards their kind, like Master Hufflepuff," I explained, "And apparently, they've agreed to hide him and Helmfried away from the Council."

"But why is the Council upset with them? It says right here in this letter that Master Hufflepuff has taken no side in the schism going on in Council. He is no rebel," Helga thought aloud, "Why are they upset with him, and what does my brother have to do with it? He's a squib, after all."

Blunt Helga, her mind was no good when it came to subtleties, "Hufflepuff is a well traveled man in a time when not many even find it necessary to leave their own manors- you know this. And over the years he has uncovered and collected a great deal of prizes. The Council has discovered that he has been holding out on them?"

There was a pregnant pauses as Helga searched my face desperately, her nose wrinkled from confusion, "But I still don't understand what that's got to do with Helmfried and me. Salazar, please stop your games. Rowena enjoys that, but it only confuses me. Just be blunt with me, keep it simple. Now is not the time for games."

Well, that was utterly boring. There was less genius in explaining it and less intrigue for me if I didn't get to explain things in my own way. I enjoyed toying with people, but I knew now I could not with Helga. For I had made a promise, that she would be safe and that she would know everything I could tell her about Helmfried, and I intended to keep my promise. If not for Helga, if not for Helmfried, for the snakes that I depended on, on whose trust of me was only just growing, and if I betrayed Helmfried, who they already trusted, they would know, and they would not like it. And I needed them, needed them to much to make them displeased with me.

"Helga, at first I thought maybe they wanted you- but why would they? Lord Gryffindor is an avid supporter of the old ways, and so those members of the hiarchy of the Council could have immediate access to you, if they so chose," I started, "And then I wondered why he chose Helmfried for this journey, a twenty-two year-old stable boy, and not his usual band of adventurers who go with him on his horses, and on his ships, and I decided that this must be because for some reason, he could not trust them. Which means that somehow, the reason Master Hufflepuff is being persued is somehow connected to Helmfried, and through him, connected to you," I explained all of my thoughts to her, "So if it is not you yourself, and not your brother, for as you said he was a squib, but it has to do with you, then it must be something else. Something that was taken along with you and Helmfried," I paused, letting all my words sink in, "Helga, if you remember anything at all from your home that Master Hufflepuff took with him, now would be the time to mention it."

A heavy silence took residence in the air as I waited for Helga to say something, anything.

"I don't," she mumbled quietly, staring at the floor, "I can't remember. Can't remember anything from before I came to Hufflepuff Manor. It was eight years ago. I was six."

I doubted she would lie to me, Helga was too gullible and too honest to do so. But my patience was fleeting. If she could not give me my answers, than she was of no use to me.

"Well, I suppose I'll be taking that letter back to Rowena now," I said, moving foward to the stone table to pick up the parchment.

"Salazar wait," she clamped her hand down on the letter, so that I could not leave, "We are going to do something about this, right?"

Since when had there ever been a "we"? I had gotten the information, and relayed it to her. I had made a promise to look after her. There was no "we".

"I'm not just going to stay here and leave my brother out there, all alone," Helga said in the absense of my response, "I need to do something."

For a moment I deliberated it. Helga's specialty was in healing and herbs, not dueling, and neither was mine. Neither of us were done with our training. She was just a fourteen year-old girl.

The two of us being of any aid to her brother and Master Hufflepuff, against the great wizards of the Council? They're all grown wizards, after all. Us being of any service, was just about as likely as Brogan making a worthwhile prediction. Maybe there was a spark of hope, but truly it wasn't likely and a waste of my time.

"I'll see what I can do, I promise it."

"Mind if I join the party?" an annoyed voice called from the kitchen entrance.

I turned to see who it was and paled. There, in the doorway, stood a very vexed looking Rowena, glaring at the letter in my hand.


	17. Confusion

**Author Scribbles: **So yeah, this has not gone as planned as far as scheduling. There was some family stuff to take care of, some camp stuff, and other random obstacles from getting this chapter out. And I don't like the way it came out either, seeing as I wrote about a hundred words here and there for the past several weeks. It's a transitional chapter more than anything, kind of trying to explain, kind of trying to keep you a little confused. And I won't be able to get up another chapter for the next two weeks either. le sigh At this rate, it'll take me months to finish.

* * *

**Godric's PoV**

**Chapter Seventeen: Confusion**

"Protego," I exclaimed the blocking spell in defense to the nasty hex Salazar sent my way, "Let me see if I understand," I side-stepped a stray spell from another group's practice duel, "Helga's brother and Rowena's dad are on the run because they're keeping something from the Council? Why would they do that?"

Salazar had relayed the occurrences in the kitchen to me before class, but I still did not understand it. Understand that he stole Rowena's letter, which was stupid and wrong and then showing it to Helga, even more wrong? Yes, yes that I understood. I'm not stupid, you know, I can be serious when I choose to, I had told him, when Salazar had ridiculed me for laughing at his actions. I just thought that they were extremely tactless and unlike my friend, which had been the reason for my laughter and nothing else. I would think he would know better than that.

And yes, he had also explained to me the deal he had made with Helmfried about watching over Helga and all that (although personally I don't see why he worried, especially since she has Rowena directing her most of the time, at least that was how it was before they had their fight that caused them to not speak to each other for about a month and a half now and I still don't understand how it started, and nobody wants to tell me, and I think it's a bit pointless not that anyone's asked me).

So, in case you were wondering if there was much confusion on my part, well, now you know. But anyway, if there's one thing I know about Salazar, it's this- he likes to hold himself in a high regard. He likes to think he always does the right thing. It's part of what makes him so stubborn, and so funny to watch when Rowena corrects him and they bicker endlessly. Wow, many thoughts all at once. I had to keep my mind clear, especially when we were practicing dueling. Don't think just do.

"Protego," I said again, lazy and bored of the shielding spell, "Oppugno!" I sent a fleet of nasty little squirrels to attack Salazar. It had become a favorite of mine. I mean really, who wouldn't be amused to control an attack legion of squirrels? Besides my father, I mean.

Yet another thing to cloud my mind with thoughts. My father, while not always morally correct, always seemed to have a straight head on his shoulders when it came to politics. He agreed with all the old ways of the Council, and so did I, because of him. Which made it even more confusing that there would be anyone to disagree with the Council as far as to begin the formation of not one but two rebelling groups, as Salazar said. It was even more confusing to me that Rowena's father was on the other side.

"Godric!" Salazar hollered as he swatted away at the last of the attack-squirrels.

"Hmm?" I asked serenely, trying to clear my mind from all thought not having to do with dueling as Master Courtenay had taught us.

"Never aim attack squirrels, at me," he added the last words after a heavy, angry breath, "Again," he cast another spell sent my way, and I prepared to block it, when he added, "And don't talk about Helga's business during class. That news is not meant for all to hear."

I blocked yet another one of Salazar's spells and sent another his way. Dueling was definitely not his forte, he was much too subtle to blatantly go and hex somebody when they were completely aware you were attempting to attack them. It just wasn't his style. Me on the other hand, well, I got to say that I'm not bragging when I say I'm pretty good at this. Honest.

"Enough," Master Courtenay announced about ten minutes after Salazar and mine's conversation, "Remember, Mistress Esma Gryffindor will not be hosting etiquette lessons today as she is ill. We shall now take a break and lunch. Miss Thompson, as you remember, you have afternoon lessons today, and Mister Gryffindor, please stay after class, and to the rest of you lot, remember to review your notes, and good day."

"What is that about?" Raedan came over and took me to the side so that Master Courtenay wouldn't hear him.

"Are the plans still on?" Tibbs ran over to ask eagerly. I nodded; nothing was keeping me from my latest endeavor.

"Just tell everybody to get ready and wait for me at the meeting place. The plan is still carrying on," I said confidently, and Raedan nodded his understanding and dragged Tibbs away.

"I still say it's idiotic," Salazar warned, "Here we are on a magic-friendly, self-sufficient manor, and you want to go visit the non-magical peasant life on the outskirts. You're crazy, the whole lot of you."

"I can handle it," I said with an arrogant grin, "But remember to mend things with Rowena while everyone's gone, and I'll take care of Helga. We should have them back to normal by dusk."

"Just don't do anything stupid," he clapped me on the shoulder, with an arrogant smile to both mock and match my own, "Or say anything stupid, for that manner."

"Yes, mother," I said sarcastically, leading him out the door. I had to get him out of there. Frankly, Salazar acted as if I was a total bumbling idiot sometimes with not an inch of seriousness within me. But I can be serious, when I choose to be. Fact is, I don't choose to be serious too often. Much too tiring, you see.

"You wanted to speak with me, sir," I turned around, putting my wand away in the pouch on my belt.

"Yes, yes I did actually," he said, muttering a spell so that two of the armchairs stacked up at the side of the room came back to the center, "Come, sit, sit Mr. Gryffindor, there is much to be discussed."

I sat down warily, wondering what in the world he was possibly talking about, because I didn't have anything to say to him. This better not take too long, I had four other lads (Raedan, Tibbs, and Allric of course, plus Brogan, who threatened "bad fortune" or something to that extent if he didn't get to come along) and Helga to sneak out of the manor, plus Helga and Rowena's friendship to mend along the way. Not to mention I had to make sure Gennie didn't try to tag along, and all of this had to be done before dinner. I truly was a very busy person.

"Well," he asked me, "Your father asked me to speak with you. He would have liked to speak with you himself, however, you know he has been very busy carrying out the wishes of the Council."

I nodded silently, unsure of what to say. What was there to say? This was really very odd. My father rarely ever wants to have a private talk with me, and if he does need something to be said, he passes it along to Aunt Esma, who then in turn adds her own commentary which usually in some way demeaned my father.

Usually I ignored it, it wasn't really a woman's place to say such things anyway. Sure there were some highly intelligent witches, like Rowena, and fun ones like Helga, and creepily knowledgeable like Melinda. But when it came to such things like politics and the ways of the Council, well that was best left to the men, considering only men were welcome at their hearings.

But anyway, my father usually didn't mind having Auntie Esma relay his messages, no matter her gender. If he wasn't telling Aunt Esma this, then it wasn't something he wanted her to hear. It meant it was something she would truly disprove of. But why would that be?

"Mister Gryffindor, I have noticed your clear friendship with Miss Hufflepuff," Master Courtenay continued to hint; as if I was supposed to have any idea as to what he was getting at. I kept my jaw shut, if only for the sake of not voicing my total confusion and sounding stupid in the hopes that he would say something which would clue me in to what he was talking about.

"Obviously you are aware that she was adopted into the Hufflepuff family eight years ago?"

"I was… aware," I said slowly. Truth was I didn't know the exact amount of time that Helga had been with the Hufflepuffs, no one ever asked about her past from before that time. I assumed she had always lived with them, a stupid theory, but as I said, Helga never brought it up, so neither did anyone else.

"Then obviously you have discussed what happened when Lord Hufflepuff took her from the remnants of her household and the belongings they took with them," Master Courtenay reasoned, but I guess something in my face gave my confusion away, "Didn't you know? Helga's father was one of the greatest wizards of the North. He organized one of the largest witches' circles of our time, to spread his knowledge! And all of his teachings were hidden in-"

"Master Courtenay," a voice came from the doorway. Elswyth. "I'm sorry sir, but I was wondering if I might steal Godric away from you."

Damn. Just as soon as things were getting good, Elswyth interrupts. Typical.

"Of course, Miss Black. We will continue our talk later, Mister Gryffindor," Master Courtenay got up, eyeing Godric.

"Eh- of course," I said, uncomfortable under his stare, "Erm, good day then."

Elswyth took the opportunity to wrap both her arms around my left and rest her head on my shoulder, battering her eyelashes as she looked up at me, "Oh Goddy- may I call you Goddy?" I didn't think I really had a choice, "We have so many wedding plans to talk about!"

Getting away from Elswyth had been a chore, but I had managed it. I had excused myself with a stomach ache, and dashed off to the healers' hallway. She of course, didn't realize that there was a secret passageway from the hallways that led to Gennie's room. There, I met up with Helga, Gennie, Tibbs, Raedan, Allric, and somehow Brogan decided to be there too. While I changed behind a curtain, the other six were already in their peasant garb, and had made themselves dirty, Gennie and Helga each wearing a peasant braid in their hair. Tibbs carried the money we would use to pay the guards off, Raedan and Allric both carried sacks full of hay. We were going as young traders, and we obviously had to look the part. After all, nobody wanted to think about what would happen if they realized that the six were actually a group of young witches and wizards curious to see what the non-magical world outside the castle walls was like.

"Everybody all set?" I asked, coming out from behind the curtain. These peasant clothes were not at all as comfortable as the silk robes I was accustomed to- the wool was actually rather itchy. I don't know how people spent their whole lives wearing such attire, "Lead the way, Gennie, you know where to go." The redhead nodded, a mischievous grin on her chubby round face.

It wasn't a far trek, and we went quickly and quietly. Luckily it was lunch and everyone was busy in the Great Hall and not roaming the corridors, or else this would be much harder. Not that we couldn't do it- at least, I know I could, but it's easier this way.

Tibbs tipped off the very surprised husky little guard, and we were home free. Or, outside free. You know what I mean.

"So, where to now?" Allric asked.

"For one thing, you've got to stop walking like you're the son of a lord, else you ruin it for the rest of us," Tibbs observed, "Hunch over a bit more, keep your head low- that goes for everybody."

Raedan raised an eyebrow, "You sound like you've sneaked out before."

Tibbs smiled, but said nothing. How entirely not innocent of him…

"I say we split up and meet back by the blacksmith's stand," I nodded to the graying man, "In two hours. Brogan, Allric, Tibbs, Gennie, you're together, Raedan, Helga with me," I was supposed to be talking Helga into being friends with Rowena again anyway, and I was closest to Raedan out of anybody.

"Hold it!" Brogan exclaimed stubbornly, "I want to go with Helga. I'm meant to, it is fate. And the fates should not be challenged."

I wanted to bang my head against the castle walls. How idiotic did the lad think we were to actually believe him? He was greasy and annoying, not to mention he was unbelievably arrogant and had recently developed an obsession with Helga, which meant I would never be able to get a word in edgewise about Rowena or Helga's past to make sense out of what Master Courtenay had been saying.

"Actually, I was thinking of taking Gennie to see the minstrel," Helga said.

"Aw, I don't want to see a boring old minstrel, I want to see the swords!" Tibbs said excitedly.

"Raedan and I would like to see the swords as well," said Allric, probably just trying to get out of being stuck with Brogan, and Raedan, Allric, and Tibbs all got lost in the crowd. Leaving me with my semi-annoying kid cousin, and an excruciatingly annoying Seer. Just bloody great.

The minstrel, as young Tibbs had stated, was both boring and old. However, it gave me a good chance to talk to Helga, for which I was glad. According to her all she wanted from Rowena was an apology, and for Rowena to understand that, "Simply because I choose to be kind to people, does not mean I do not understand what is taking place before my very eyes." This led me to one simple conclusion.

Girls are inexplicably weird.

"Erm, Helga," I asked her nervously, afraid she may back away from the question, "Do you remember anything about your family."

"What, you mean the Hufflepuff's?" she asked naively, "They are wonderful."

"Erm, no," I asked, my fingers twitching nervously, "I meant your real one, from before Lord Hufflepuff found you… if that's okay with you, I guess."

She sighed, shifting weight from one foot to the other, "Oh, it's okay, I mean, I don't mind really, because well, I just don't remember them really. There is Helmfried, of course, he's eight years older than me, twenty-two now, so he would remember it more. Of course, he and Lord Hufflepuff are," her eyes fell to the ground.

"Going to Muggle Manor?" I finished the sentence for her, and somebody shushed me, so I explained in a whisper, "Salazar told me."

"No sense of loyalty, that one," she muttered about Salazar, "But I suppose it doesn't matter. He was always loyal to Helmfried, though. You see, Helmfried and I always planned to stay together, and then I had to come here. Salazar promised him he'd look out for me, just as Helmfried looked after him when the other servants were cruel to him," Helga explained.

"Helga," I whispered again, "Do you recall if you took anything with you from your old home? Something of your father's?"

She wrinkled her nose- come on Helga, think of something!- but shook her head, "No, I can't think of anything, I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I said, trying to hide my disappointment, staring off at the smoke cloud rising high above the merchant stands several hundred yards away and off to my right, "It's just, Courtenay was asking about it, which was odd."

"He's not to be trusted, then, now is he?" she said cryptically, "I have to get to my brother and Lord Hufflepuff as soon as possible, before the Council cronies do." Inwardly I groaned- why did this day have to so freakishly confusing?

Helga sniffed the air, "What is that smell?"

"Smoke," I said, pointing to the rising cloud.

She shook her head, "No, something else."

I sniffed the air; I smelled smoke, and something else that was strange, sweet, and burnt.

Helga turned to take off, so of course I had to follow her. Aunt Esma would kill me (literally, I think) if I let Gennie get lost out here- heck she would be furious if we came back safe and sound after being out here. So I grabbed the ten year-old by the arm and dragged her behind me, dodging through the crowds of peasants after Helga. If I thought I was going to lose Brogan in the crowd (hey, you can't blame a lad for being hopeful) I was wrong, because slowly he scuttled behind.

Helga brought us closer to the smoke, and we began to hear cries and jeers, none of which I could make out.

And then we got closer.

"Death to the she-witch!"

"Let the infidel burn in hell!"

"Godric, where are we going?" Gennie asked, confused, "Godric, I'm tired of running."

By now, I was getting pretty worried. I had an idea of what was going on, but it wasn't something I really wanted to confirm.

"What in the- woah!" I shouted as Helga stopped short and I so ungracefully ran into her.

"Helga, are you," there was no point in finishing that sentence, asking if she was alright. Her wide-eyed terror and dropped jaw was all I needed to see, as she looked on to the witch burning taking place just one hundred feet away. I was too disgusted to look at it, and I pulled Gennie closer to me, so she couldn't see what was going on and she would not have to witness the atrocities taking place while others not only watched, but cheered.

"I think we should go, Helga," I said tentatively.

"Godric, I think," she swallowed hard, "I think I remember now."


	18. Reminiscence

**Author Scribbles: **So yeah, school has started, yet another obstacle in the way of posting. And apparently, I can't write for my life, because my English teacher keeps giving me 75-85 on all my writing stuff in Honors English. Strange, because everything I wrote last year for Honors English earned an 87-100. Of course, the grading this year is based on the "rubric that I have inside my mind, this is not an objective grading". Worst part is, she refuses to set up a meeting with me to explain why... Meh, as you can see, I'm not in a good mood. Hopefully that doesn't screw up the chapter. Which reminds me- every memory has been written in previous chapters.

You'll understand it better after you read, I guess.

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**Chapter Eighteen- Reminiscence**

_Let the girl have some fun, woman," my father said jokingly to my mother, "so? Has anything interesting happened when I was gone. Anything you can't explain?" He looked serious about it, though he asked the question with a light heart. He asked the same question everyday, and I didn't understand why. I shook my head, no at him._

_"I see," he said, and he sound disappointed. I hated to make my Father disappointed; he was one of the best people I knew. I lowered my head in shame. "Don't be sad Helga; it will come to you in time." Another one of his cryptic messages. What was he talking about?_

_

* * *

_

_"Remember, witch-brat. They're going to burn you're daddy, then your brother and your sister, and then-" he was interrupted by the entrance of my sister and her friends (all of them from families that were also considered "weird" like us) into the scene. There was about the same amount of them as there were of Kuno and friends, and Gunda's friends were the same size as Kuno's. So, he had lost the small and alone card. _

_

* * *

_

_"Gunda, Gunda, Kuno said that- he said that his daddy-his daddy is gonna burn you!" I said, fumbling over my words. I noticed that everywhere this group went, people were watching, waiting. Always prepared to lift the accusing finger, ready to point out the witches among them. _

_"Kuno's stupid," she said, brushing off my words like she had heard them a million times, "don't listen to him."_

_

* * *

_

_From afar I watched them bury the carcasses of my family, one by one. And then they buried a few other families as well, almost every one of Gunda's friends, even "Angry Boy."_

_And I said nothing._

_

* * *

_

_I was led into the forest, deeper than I had ever been before. We walked for twenty minutes before we came to a clearing; his hand still had a firm grip on my shoulder, and over my mouth. In the clearing there was a small encampment set up. There were already two people there; one seemed to be doctoring the other. Two blonde people there. And one of them was my brother. _

_

* * *

_

_"You told me what Alex said about her, about what she could possibly amount to if the fates allow it. She hasn't shown any signs yet, but when she does- if she does, it will be in a way more powerful than you can ever expect."_

_

* * *

_

_"I would just go up and run away if I could. But seeing as I'm in this condition," he looked at his bandaged arms and face. _

_

* * *

_

_"Would you take me too?" I asked him. It was a hypothetical question; I didn't think he would ever run away. Besides, I almost knew he would take me. But somehow I needed to hear it from him, too. But he seemed to take it quite seriously. _

_"If you were ready, I would," he said, "If you were ready."_

_I didn't understand it._

_

* * *

_

I shot up from my bed, gasping desperately for air, as if strangled by the assault of near forgotten memories. Random pieces of mismatched time had started barraging my dreams ever since I had once again smelled the scent of burnt flesh.

And this time, I would not soon forget it.

I spent the following days in bed, only coming out for toiletries and meals, because it would be rude to ask anyone to bring them to me, though I got the offers. Remembering was- no is, as it shall always be- hard for me. I'm not strong like Godric, I can't joke about things the way he does. I can't blow things off as Salazar does with sarcasm and wit, I cannot cover my emotions with a veil of indifference. And I most certainly cannot lose myself in books the way Rowena so often did.

So you have to know, you have to understand, that what I did- it wasn't because I was weak. I could not, would not believe that I was not a strong person, for that was all I had to hold on to.

That was all I had to hold on to.

For, to realize my past, my roots, was no small thing. It was what made me who I was. But, without Helmfried to speak to, the only one in the world who could make sense of the cacophony of my disordered memories, it was kind of harsh

The thing about my discovery, was that I was remembering a family, my family, and yet they seemed so foreign. Like there had never been the mysterious Menno or agressive Gunda, no motherly Korinna, and no pale sick, sweet, sweet Brigitta, my own twin sister. Like a mother who made the most delicious meals and a father who loved me and came home every morning to ask if something special had happened were distant tales. Like a happy Helmfried and an outgoing Helga who just loved to have fun.

And yet, I was not without a family either. True, it sounded corny to me, even as I first thought of the idea, but the truth is the truth and I shan't deny it. I had Tibbot and Gennie to make me laugh with their antics. Allric and Raedan were there to look after me now. There was Melinda to confide in, and who could confide in me, the worried thoughts she had about the cousin she once worshipped. Evil secrets that I shan't repeat, for she is like a sister to me, and I shall not reveal our family secrets. There is Brogan, who does irk me at times, and yet I pity him and I talk to him anyway, because everyone needs someone to talk too, even him. And who couldn't love Godric, who always found a way to make everyone laugh and ensure everyone was having a good time? Even Salazar's sarcasm has grown on me. And Rowena.

I had to make sure things were right with her.

Running sweaty palms threw my hair, trying to keep the long yellow tresses out of my face, I edged to the side of my bed and stood up. The room spun as bare toes touched the cold stone floor, my head felt light and my tongue was dry and craved wetness. I suppose I hadn't went down to dinner in a while, and that couldn't be healthy. Merlin knows Korinna would have scorned me.

I wondered what it would have been like had our secret never been found. If I would have learned magic the same way or if I would have met anyone I included in my family now.

As I shedded my woolen nightdress, I supposed the meeting was inevitable, what with Merlin's Circle and all. Of course, I wouldn't know English and wouldn't be able to talk to anyone, which would have been horrible. I'd be alone, as I wouldn't have known Salazar and Rowena from before. But I'd have sisters and brothers and parents who cared for me and treated me equal to everyone else. I'd have the valley that was my home.

I donned a peach underdress, also of wool, and examined my reflection in the mirror, a sign of the obvious Gryffindor wealth. Strange and corrupted by power as the family was, they had offered me their generosity, and I would forever be greatful. Because I couldn't change the past, and, as fate would have it, my family was not the conventional one, but a group of teens.

And I was not the same girl I was when I left my native land. I was now five feet and four inches, tall for a woman in these times. I've grown into my awkwardness, and I am not to skinny or to heavy, but pleasantly plump. Blue eyes stared back at me through the mirror, older than the fourteen year-old reflection I saw, but still with a wistful memory of innocence. My face was red and swollen from crying, my yellow hair was stringy from soaking in tears. Now normally I only tooky bi-annual baths, but I think I'll take an extra one this year.

Because I was not the same Helga I once was, and that had to be accepted. I accepted myself and the changes in me and embraced them, because if I didn't, than no one else would either.

And now, now was time to start anew.

"Gooooooooood morning Helga! Time to wake up and run outside and have fun, 'cause if you don't I'll- Mother of Morgan LeFay!"

I jumped with surprise out of my reverie, and with the mirror I saw the reflection of a pink-eared Godric embarrassed and covering his eyes as he turned away. For a moment I was confused, then remembered with a blush, reddening my already pink face- I was only in my undergarments. I dashed for a dress in my trunk, a new yellow one I had been planning to wear before the incident, and held it out in front of my indecent body.

"Godric, what did you do to the poor girl?" I heard Rowena's voice as she walked in, and a small gasp, and within seconds the thirteen year-old's small hands curled into fists as she beated at the sixteen year-old boy, "My goodness- get out! Out, out, out, out! I'll wager you didn't even bother to knock, now did you? Why, she's gone through enough as it is- Melinda- come quickly- and close the door behind you Godric!"

And within a moment, the small girl had evicted her older friend, and now, standing next to Rowena, was an older curly-haired girl, Melinda, the most unlikely pair. I stared back at them, confused.

"Well," Melinda said expectantly, "Don't just stand there. Get dressed."

Silently I nodded like an obedient child, donning my yellow dress of linen. The dress scraped the ground as I walked, and so I was careful not to trip over it. The sleeves were most frustrating, fitting until the elbows, and then billowing out at the forearms, so that the top of the sleeve covered my wrist but the bottom, flowing down past my kneecaps. Were I to hold out my arms in the form of a "t," it would have looked as if I had big yellow wings. I tied a linen black robe around my waste, completing the outfit, and walked towards my friends.

Now was as good a time as any to make up for arguments, so I hugged Rowena hesitantly, and was relieved when she hugged back.

"Friends?" I queried.

"Sisters," she answered, "You're unusually cheery today. Not that you're not usually cheery," the younger girl added quickly, "But currently, you've been, well, a mess, at best."

"I always said a new dress can make a lady's day," smiling in the cocky style she liked people to perceive about her as she sat on the edge of my bed, tossing her curls so that they bounced. Rowena gave her a look as if she didn't agree, but said nothing, probably not wanting to start conflict again.

"I'll get Godric at the door, he must still be out there, waiting and all," Rowena muttered, and headed towards the door.

"How's your mind today, Helga? Still confused, is it? Disorganized?" asked, her eyes showing her concern. I cocked my head to the right, her words confusing me.

"I'm remembering things, yes, but not in chronological order," I said, not making eye contact, swaying my arms nervously, "I had a twin, you know. Her name was Brigitta, and she was always sick, but I didn't know that then."

"Hm," Melinda murmured, as if thinking about something totally different.

" 'Linda?" I turned to her, studying the older girl in the red dress, "What aren't you telling me?"

"That's certainly odd," Rowena said, coming back inside from the hall, "Godric's missing."

"Elswyth probably found him," Melinda rolled her eyes, as if it was nothing.

Rowena nodded, but was not convinced, "I guess Salazar and Gennie weren't able to distract her, then."

My eyes traveled from girl to girl suspiciously, what in the world could these two opposites be conspiring?

"Sit Helga, we've got a proposition," said Melinda.

"A proposition, says you?" I asked, sitting on the canary yellow blankets of my bed next to Melinda, Rowena in her blue robes sitting on my other side, "Out with it, says I."

"Well, you know how everything's all scary for you and Melinda has her little mind reading thing," Rowena's voice trailed off.

"Legilimency- and it's a little different than mind-reading. Only fake non-magical crackpots believe in that," Melinda corrected darkly, "The mind is just too complicated to be simply read. But, to put it simply, I will be able to go through the memories- your memories- and all of them. I won't be able to see all of them, though- only flashes of the memories. I'm not saying you have to- and I warn you, it is painful, but," her voice trailed off, just as Rowena's had not a moment before, "But maybe it will help you sort things out a bit. And maybe we can find out just what it is that Lord Gryffindor and the Council want so badly from your brother and Lord Hufflepuff, and maybe we can help."

I bit my lip, understanding well enough what she asked of me. Not only was did the green-eye girl inquire if I may relive painful memories of my past, but she asked to witness them with me. The memories that just moments ago I had promised to myself that I wouldn't dwell on anymore, she asked me to revisit.

"What about Rowena?" I asked, looking toward the dark stone floor.

"It was my idea," Rowena shrugged, "You don't have to- I, I thought that it would be good to sort everything out, get everything cleared up, so you can get through this."

I closed my eye tight until I saw red and buried my hands in my face. My hands were getting sweaty again, dampening my face. How I hated big decisions.

"I'm sorry, this was probably a very bad, bad idea, never should have even suggested it, really," Rowena apologized and began to stand up, shaking her head back and forth.

"No," I grabbed her wrist and made her sit back down, "No, I'll do it."

Melinda tucked a strand of brown curls behind her ear, looking up from previously examining her nails, "Fine, then. We'll do it tonight, after dinner, I suppose, I'll make the proper arrangements, so as to ensure that we shan't get caught by Elswyth or anyone."

I turned to the older girl, shook my head, and looked her in the eye, "Now, we'll do it now." The thought of doing it at any other time had never even come across my mind. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we get past this. And we have to help Helmfried, of course."

"Of course," Rowena muttered, as if mentally preparing herself for the ordeal.

"So what must I do?"

One might have thought that I would have wavered as Melinda gave me the instructions to look right into her big green eyes, to make the process easier. That I would have rejected it immediately when she asked me to keep my memories of life before the Hufflepuff in focus, so that it would be easier to find what we looked for, with the least amount of pain on my part. Or that I would have been at least annoyed that she asked if my wand was out of reach (it was) so that I might not unconciously cast any spells while she perused my mind. But this was something I had to do. At least, that's what I kept telling myself, over and over.

"Ready?" Melinda asked of me, bright green eyes looking right into my blue ones. Before I even had the chance to answer, she whispered it, "Legilimens!"

And so the dam was relinquished once more as the memories came flooding back in. Most I had remembered before, of Menno, Helmfried, Korinna, Gunda, and of course, Brigitta.

_"…you know what is going on at the Council, how they have been searching for them ever since their potential has been known. They have one already, and I suspect that Helga is one of them too," this was Edmund whispering, of course. And there he was talking about what I was supposed to be again. I felt helpless; will someone please tell me what's going on? It's as if there's some great big secret about me, and I'm the only one who doesn't know about it. It's driving me mad with anxiety; I usually liked surprises, but not this one. _

_"How can you be so sure?" the lady questioned him, her voice dripping in suspicion, "Have you seen her do anything?" _

_"Well, no," admitted Edmund, "But I don't need to. There is yet another prophecy about her- just one other, and this one more specifically about her. I don't believe she has done any magic yet, but when she does, well- all those who find themselves opposing her shall beware… _

My head hurt, the addition of a new memory, with the other already was hard to swallow, and I could hear someone screaming far away. And then I realized that screaming was now, and it was my own.

_Then I noticed something from my old home. Something I hadn't realized was here before. But then, there had been so many trunks at the encampment of Johann and Edmund, and I was distressed. Who was I to realize that the trunk with my parents' secret things had somehow managed to escape the fires? I got up and out of bed, slowly approaching the trunk. I had never taken a good look in it before, and I wanted to see what was inside now. Maybe it would remind me of my parents. I missed them a lot. _

The trunk! That was important, somehow. I couldn't remember why, as my mind was being bombarded with memories. Menno, Helmfried, Gunda, Korinna, Brigitta, Menno… the chest.

I knew what Lord Gryffindor was looking for.

But better yet, I knew why.

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Well, you guys know the drill, you were awesome and read this, so continue being awesome and review... please. If you don't know what the box has, well, it was mentioned already, actually. That's all I'm saying. Next chapter we get to hear a bit from Salazar, he's got some work to do... 


	19. Vindication

Author's Note: Oh goodness… I sincerely feel terrible about leaving you all hanging for so long, I could apologize, but I know that really wouldn't do anything… Anyway, this is the second to last chapter of this story, and I think after you read this chapter you will see that there obviously needs to be a sequel. There are no Deathly Hallows spoilers, although I did read it and I thought it was marvelous. Anyway, I am extremely grateful for anyone and everyone who has stayed on with me for this long, and as I am sure that you are tired of me speaking, I'll end this note soon. But let me just say, that the answer to what Helga remembered was in Chapter 14 all along… you'll probably get it once you read the chapter…

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**Chapter Nineteen: Vindication  
**_Salazar's POV_

"This can't be," the stubby little eleven year-old girl said for the umpteenth time, shaking her head worriedly. It was getting quite annoying, to be frank, and I was trying my best not to hex her. Originally she wasn't supposed to be here, but Gennie Gryffindor was nearly as persistent as her older cousin, and Rowena and Melinda had agreed that the youngest girl had a better knowledge of the happenings of the castle than anyone.

Hiding in the curtains in the hallway outside of the study room made me begin to think that a manor of this size required more than just a dozen house elves. I loathed the stuffy, dust-filled air that I was forced to inhale.

"Silence," I hissed at the little redhead. But she stepped outside of the hiding place and into the hall, and I realized with much disdain that our cover was blown.

"Oh don't be ridiculous, Sal," Gennie chided, "She's not here. Odd, really- it's her turn for afternoon lessons, but Master Courtenay isn't here teaching her, and Elswyth isn't here learning."

I came out of the curtains to speculate with the younger girl in the hallway, and was happier for the fresh air. If neither of the two was here, then both of them had to be in on whatever it was that was going on. Strange, really. From what I had heard with my talks with the snakes, there was definitely a plot going on, and it was most definitely being lead by Lord Gryffindor. It was clear that ambitious man had some plans of his own for the future of Merlin's Circle, the ten chosen ones of the generation. He most certainly had something in mind for their future and the future of the Wizard's Council, of which he was an Inner Circle member. And with Merlin's Circle being right under the nose of Lord Gryffindor, and so far away from the Council, which was in the south, Gryffindor could do pretty much whatever he fancied with us. With Merlin's Circle on his side, he could probably take over the Council, if he hadn't already.

There were of course, families who would oppose him. Keyword being "would" as they didn't as of yet. Nobody would openly oppose anybody, least of all Lord Gryffindor, without knowing for sure that they had some powerful allies. Tibbs came from a modest family with a seat in the Outer Circle. Rowena's sister, Adela, had married Leofric, a boy whose family was in the Inner Circle, though not particularly strong. Allric's father was also a member of the Outer Circle- their chief representative, if I'm not mistaken. Raedan's family was also of the Outer Circle, but of no great importance. There were about one hundred representatives from the wizard families of the British isle in the Council. Of them, only a dozen or so families were in the Inner Circle, and only they and the chief representative of the Outer Circle truly had a say in the lawmaking of the land, and they married within each other, keeping the power to themselves. These Council families included the Blacks (Elswyth's family) the Thompsons (Melinda's family), the Hufflepuffs (Rowena and Helga's family) the Tates (Leofric and Addy's family) as well as the aforementioned families of Tibbs as well as the Gryffindor family.

So, in the case that I- I mean i we /i ever decided to break away from Lord Gryffindor, we would be a group of powerful people with powerful allies. Power was control, and soon more members of the Wizard's Council would join us. They'd have to. We members of Merlin's Council could shift the balance of power if we so chose, maybe even start a revolution.

I just had to convince the other seven members of Merlin's Circle there was reason enough to break away.

Yes I say eight, because I knew for sure that Elswyth and another, had quite clearly broken away.

"So you_ do _have feelings for the house elf!" Gennie exclaimed triumphantly.

"Hm?" I said, raising my eyebrows.

She gave me a very Godric-esque look, "I knew you weren't listening to me." I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hold back the frustration. The girl truly was a Gryffindor through and through.

Her loss.

"So what should we do now?" she asked me after several seconds of rather awkward silence, "Elsywth's not where she ought to be. She's probably annoying Godric by now."

"Something like that," I muttered darkly, then spoke more clearly, "We're having a meeting, in my quarters. Retrieve Helga, Rowe, Melinda, Tibbs, Allric, and Raedan, and I'll meet you there."

I turned around, silk emerald robes billowing behind me. Everything was going just fine, until I realized that Gennie had yet to move. Was it some rite of passage for all Gryffindors to vex me?

I turned around, reluctantly.

"And while I'm running about like some lowly servant, what, pray tell, will you be doing?" Gennie had the audacity to fold her arms and ask me.

"You'll see."

* * *

I whispered to Salencia and the other snakes of the dungeon about the faring of our plans. I begged of them to keep watch around the castle, and to inform me of the movements of Elswyth, Lord Gryffindor, and Master Courtenay, and Melinda as well. I say begged, because although the snakes liked me, I did not pretend to think they were my servants. Snakes were powerful creatures with minds of their own. And I made sure that Melinda was watched, because even though Helga seemed to have formed some sort of bond, and the two had exchanged secrets, I didn't trust the girl. And Merlin help me if I was going to let something happen to Helga, to fail at my promise, because I was just as gullible and idealistic as the girl I set out to protect. 

When I was done with the snakes, I trailed back up to my room. It was near the dungeons, ever since the days I had loathed as a stable boy, I enjoyed being close to the ground. Seven others were already in my room, and I smiled, pleased that Gennie had done my bidding.

I saw them, we were all barely finishing childhood, but all looked solemn. There was Raedan sitting on the edge of my bed, the lanky seventeen year-old, redhead and determined, his normally amicable blue eyes had stopped twinkling. There was Allric next to him, four years younger, but the raven-haired boy was just as strong and very proud. At their feet, sitting cross-legged, was Tibbs, no longer was he a dirty little page. At eleven, the tawny-haired boy had achieved a sort of grace about him, despite the fact that he was still running into things. And next to him was the chubby Gennie, a redhead eleven year-old who was quite possibly as stubborn as I am. She is not part of Merlin's Circle, but I know now that there is no separating her from the rest of us. Believe me, I've tried.

To the right of them on a scarlet cushion she obviously conjured herself, is Melinda. She is on the older side of the spectrum, at fifteen years of age. It is a wonder the Black family has not tried to marry her off as of yet, and I suspect that there is a rebel streak in the green-eyed brunette, one that Helga has already seen. I wouldn't know though, Helga has always been better when it came to people things.

And there was Helga at her right side, sitting on her own conjured yellow cushion. Helga, fourteen years-old, the idealistic and blue-eyed girl was always hopeful, though she had been through harder times than the rest of us. I didn't understand her foolishness, and told her so, but she wouldn't hear it. I never wanted to make a fuss about it though, that would be plain tactless, when the kindly girl was the key to so much, more than she herself even knew.

And then there was Rowena, thirteen years old, sitting on the other side of Helga like some faithful dog. But I knew that Rowena had greatness in her, and one of these days I hoped to convince Rowena that the most important thing was to pursue her great potential.

"What's the plan?" Allric asked, of me as I entered the room. I stood for a moment, reveling in my newfound place of leadership.

So this is what Godric felt like.

"Before we start anything," Helga unknowingly cut in on my moment of silent glory, "I have figured out the reason Lord Gryffindor and the Council are after my brother Helmfried, and Rowena's father. You see, my broth-"

"I don't think that is something to be discussed, considering the people in the room," I cut in, looking pointedly at the person I was considering. She folded her arms.

"You mean me," Melinda said coolly.

Helga wrinkled her nose at me, "Mel doesn't have to explain herself to anyone, and-"

But the brunette stood up, brown curls bouncing as always, and I smirked, for I knew I had hit a nerve. People were so easily manipulated.

"Enough of this," Melinda nearly growled, green eyes glaring at me, "You want to know why I don't speak with my cousin Elswyth anymore? I'll tell you," she began to pace the room, as all eyes followed her in silence, "Elswyth is ambitious in the worst way. She'd do anything, and I do mean _anything_, for power. Now I have never been one to denounce ambition, but one must be classy about these things, you know – have standards. That is the one thing that Elswyth and I never quite agreed upon, and that was to lead to the downfall of our friendship. See Elswyth," her eyes trailed in the direction of Gennie for a moment before she looked back at me, "she knew several men – in the biblical sense."

She paused like an expert story teller, letting the news settle in.

"I couldn't stand idly by, it's just so, so dirty, and so I owled the Black family patriarch with this news. See what he could do about it. But apparently, her father, my uncle, was in on the whole plan from the start, might have even orchestrated it. I wrote my own father after that, thinking he might be able to do something… I was wrong. He threatened me, my life, if I were to tell anyone else," she moved towards Helga, who was watching her brunette friend with motherly eyes, "Helga happed upon me when I received said letter, we were both in the Gryffindor library at the time, and she knew immediately that I was upset. Helga reminded me that true family does not threaten, does not sacrifice each other for power. So I broke away," she said, looking me straight in the eye, those piercing green eyes, "I broke away from the Thompson family and the Thompson name, I made myself an outcast, stole my own future, because I could not stand for such indecency. Helga helped me through that time, and we became great friends, though, I daresay, not as close as Helga and Rowena are, or as close as you are with Godric, Salazar, and of such friendships, I am quite jealous. Are you pleased with yourself now?" she took a step toward me, "Pleased to know the dirtiest secret, the humiliation of my one-time family. Pleased to know that I have been disowned from the life I had always known, destined to live in rags?"

I blinked. This certainly was not what I had been expecting, and it changed my plans completely. If both the Thompson and Black families stood with Lord Gryffindor…

"Enough of this madness," Helga stood up between us, motioning for us both to sit down, "Now is not the time for allies to fight amongst themselves. That won't help Godric any. Now is the time to figure out where they've got him, and how we can help him escape, but first, I should disclose my own bit of information. See, as Melinda was helping me to remember my younger years, I remembered my siblings. There was Brigitta, who was my twin – and Korinna, and Gunda, and Helmfried – my only living brother, who escaped with Master Hufflepuff to the Muggle family manor, "And there was also Helmfried's twin, Menno."

Something in my mind clicked, "Menno… I've heard that name before."

Helga smiled knowingly, "The Prophecies of Menno."

"You don't mean… your brother…"

"Helmfried was Menno's identical twin, perhaps the Council thinks that it was really Menno who survived, and he is only pretending to be Helmfried," Helga said.

"Maybe it really _is_ Menno!" Tibbs chimed, and I glared at the overeager boy.

"Don't you think Helga would have been able to tell the difference?" I asked of him sharply, and he cowered, "Besides, I knew Helmfried myself. Couldn't do magic even if he tried, he wasn't a magical person, let alone a young and famous Seer."

"The chest from your old home!" Melinda exclaimed, remembering Helga's memories from when she had Legilimenced Helga, as was part of the plan, earlier this morning, "The only thing old Hufflepuff took! Do you think?" I knew exactly what she was thinking, and was pleased with myself, for long ago had I surmised that Lord Hufflepuff had taken something from Helga's home, I could not pinpoint exactly what.

Helga nodded eagerly, "Never saw it again after that first night… then Master Hufflepuff and Helmfried ran off, Hufflepuff was having trouble with the Council ever since Gryffindor got so much control… obviously he would want the chest of Menno's Prophecies…"

"And some of them were supposed to be about us – and Helga specifically," Melinda said, finishing her thoughts. Both girls looked up at me.

"We have to leave," Helga determined, "Tonight. The longer we stay the more power Lord Gryffindor wields. And I for one will go to make sure my brother and Master Hufflepuff got to the Muggles' Manor safely. They are at the forefront of the rebellion, are they not?"

"We also ought to go to the rebel members of the Council and petition for their support."

"Support in what, pray tell?" Allric queried.

"Support in a rebellion against Lord Gryffindor and his followers. Against all of the Council who stick to the old ways. They are corrupt, they care for naught but money these days, and they deserve to be overthrown," I preached, "We are Merlin's Circle, after all, it is our responsibility to look after the welfare of our generation."

"But we're just kids!" Tibbs exclaimed.

"And we don't have Elswyth and Brogan with us – does that matter? Where is Brogan, anyway?" asked the ever logical Raedan.

"Not with us, obviously," muttered Allric.

"Which means he must be against us," Raedan decided.

So we came up with a plan. Or, I mostly came up with the plan. I would stay behind, with Tibbs (who was surprisingly good with a sword and a hex, when he wasn't walking into things) to get Godric. Gennie would stay behind too, though she didn't' seem to realize that I planned to leave her behind. She had been a great help, but she was not part of Merlin's Circle, she was young, and therefore naught more than a liability.

I decided that it was obvious that Helga would go for her brother, with Raedan, because a girl shouldn't travel without a man who was good with a sword. Melinda would go with them, because her cynicism would balance Helga's idealism, and because after her fallout with her family, it probably wasn't prudent for her to show up at the Council so soon.

It was decided that Allric would go to the Council, as he was most experienced in their ways. Actually, he would first go to Leofric and Addy's home, which was on the way to the Council, and would wait there until Godric, Tibbs, and I had gotten out of Gryffindor Manor, and we would go together. With him would be Rowena, who Adela would be most accepting of. I also wanted to split Rowena and Helga up, so that if one delegation got into trouble, one of them would still be safe. I couldn't have both of them getting hurt, though I was faced with much protesting. Now that the girls had made amends, they were loathe to be separated. And so the night came forth, and by the time the sun fell into the horizon, everyone was packed, and I was more than ready to lead my plans into action.

* * *

"Come on," Allric, already on his dark-colored mare, motioned for Rowena to mount her own horse, "We've got to go before the guards we bribed go off duty." 

It was decided that Allric and Rowena would leave for Addy and Leofric's home first, and that Raedan, Melinda and Helga would leave for Muggle Manor twenty minutes later. Raedan and Melinda were still preparing their horses for the ride, as Helga was supposed to be, but instead she could be found standing next to me, embracing Rowena. This warm and fuzzy stuff always made me feel rather awkward. I thought of Tibbs and Gennie, scouring the manor, making sure everything was ready for their plans. Maybe I ought to be doing that to, but something had drawn me to this spot outside the stable with my friends. I fiddled with the long billowing sleeves of my emerald cloak, my arms feeling uncomfortable.

"We'll meet again soon, I promise," Helga said, burying her face in Rowena's dark hair. Rowena said no words as her face became wet with tears. She swallowed hard.

"You should go," Rowena pushed her friend away reluctantly, "I don't want you to be unprepared because of me."

Helga gave Rowena what seemed as if it was supposed to be a confident smile, but truthfully it was rather pathetic. Giving Rowena one last squeeze, Helga ran back into the quiet stable where Melinda and Raedan were supposed to be. This left Rowena and I alone on the ground, as Allric watched from his horse. As the rain began to fall from above, Rowena pulled the gray hood of her travelling cloak over her long brown braided hair.

"Don't miss me too much," I smirked uncomfortably. But she only stared, her big brown eyes sucking me in. For a moment, I wondered if she was trying to perform Legilimency on me. I wanted her to say something- anything, to relieve me of this awkward stress, of not knowing what to say...

Her pale hands reached forward for my shoulders, and the girl stood on tiptoe to reach my height. And that's when she did it. She kissed me on the lips.

It wasn't one of those romantic kisses, like in all those stories Gennie loves and that make me wince. It was quick, and innocent, and altogether rather clumsy.

And even so, I rather liked it.

"Well, see you," she muttered, averting her eyes as she blushed. And then, not knowing what to say, or what to do, I decided not to be very original.

I kissed her back.

"Ahem," said Allric from atop his horse, looking rather uncomfortable. We broke away, smiling awkwardly at each other like a pair of five year-olds sharing a secret. She continued to grin as she mounted her horse, and left in the mud with Allric. And I smiled too, as I watched her until she was no longer in sight.

Feeling unusually happy, and not knowing why - and worse, not caring. At least I wasn't humming as I enterred the stables again, expecting to see Helga, Raedan, and Melinda in the stable.

Instead I felt meaty fists rap around my forearm, smelled something horrible, and felt greasy hair resting on my shoulders.

"Brogan," I hissed at my captor. I saw guards had also taken the other three, holding swords and wands to their throats. Were Gennie and Tibbs already caught too? Thank Merlin Rowena and Allric had already escaped.

"Going somewhere, Salazar?" Brogan asked.

"Well, you could at least be original about it," I sighed, and let the things that had been making my arms feel uncomfortable out from under my emerald cloak.

The snakes.

_Bite him_ I hissed, and eagerly they obeyed, slithering on to his sweaty palms, but he jumped backward, throwing them off, and giving me opportunity to get away

"Expelliarmus! Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Stupefy!" I exclaimed at each of the guards, adding an extra stunning spell for good measure.

Yes, I know, I'm good.

I spun back around, towards Brogan, but he had already taken off. I turned again, only to see that he had already taken off, and grabbed Helga, pointing a wand to her throat.

Okay, maybe not so good.

"Don't test me, Salazar," he said, using Helga as a human shield, and I lowered my wand, afraid to hit the girl I had promised to protect. The blond girl had an angry look upon her face, blue eyes angrier than I had ever thought possible for her. He began to make his way out of the stable, Helga in tow, leaving the guards behind.

"Well he's not very creative," I muttered to Raedan and Melinda, rubbing my hands together as I spoke quickly, "Change of plans. You two - make for the Tate Manor with Allric and Rowena - it shouldn't be very difficult for you to catch up to them if you ride hard. I'll take care of Helga."

Melinda shook her head, "That's stupid, we have to wait."

"No!" I exclaimed, a little harsher than I had intended, "We can't afford to bribe an extra set of guards. And you two have to go find Allric and Rowena, spend a week at the Tate home, and if you haven't heard from us, go straight to Council. Godric, Tibbs, Helga and I will make for Muggle Manor and meet Helga's brother there. Go in haste, there's no time to lose!"

They began to protest, but I couldn't have that- what of the plan Salencia and I had gone over? It was already bad enough that Helga had been taken, and that Gennie thought that she could come along. I hadn't the patience to deal with them, and there was no time to lose.

So quietly I muttered _Imperio_ and convinced them to go on their way.


	20. Bound

**Author Scribbles: **Last chapter, just wow. It's bittersweet to end things, and yet it's not really the end, as I am currently planning a sequel that should be out by the end of the week, (check my profile for updates) but enough about that. Thank you so much for reading thus far, whether you've been a reader from the beginning or not, it truly is appreciated.

I want to stress that the rating for this story is 'T' and with good reason, as you shall soon find out.

Once again, thanks for reading!

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Chapter Twenty: Bound

**One-Thousand Words from Helga:**

If he would just let go… everything would be alright, I'm sure of it. I could forgive him, I even wanted to forgive him, really I did. The problem was that the sensation in my chest was growing again. That thing, that power that had first manifested itself years ago, back when I was naught more than a messenger girl listening to drunks insult Lord Hufflepuff – who had been so good to me – in a tavern. I hadn't been able to control it then, and now… if he would just let go, everything would be alright. If he kept this up I don't think I could stand it anymore.

He held me close to his body; I was enveloped in his body heat, in his awful, putrid stench. As he led me down dank halls I did not remember seeing before, my wand hand held above my head as his meaty fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist, my left hand nearly crushed between my back and his torso.

"Scared?" he asked, resting his head on my shoulder. Yes, yes I am, but not for the reasons that you suspect. It was growing in me, and it took all the energy I had just to keep it inside and fight the pain, not to give in and let the destructive power within me emanate from my body and hurt anybody else.

"Let me go," I said, my voice surprisingly more stable than how I felt, "I'll forgive you, Brogan, I promise you that. I will forgive you."

But my words went unheeded, and I gulped. He probably took it as fear for my own well-being, when really; it was him I feared for.

I began to recognize the hallways; we were approaching his room. I had left soup here whenever he was sick. Strange, I had thought, almost hoped even, he would take me to wherever Lord Gryffindor or Godric was, and then maybe, somehow, I could save Godric. I hadn't exactly worked out how that would happen. Salazar was the planner, not I.

My wand was still in my yellow robes, far out of reach, so there were no hopes of controlling the power I felt rising in me with the aid of a wand or a spell. There was something wrong with the lock of Brogan's door – I don't know what, I wasn't paying very much attention. But he threw me forcefully at the wall (which really is something, considering that I am not quite as dainty as Melinda or Rowena) and the pain of colliding with the cold, stone wall was just a small addition to the pain I already felt. Too feeble to stand, I slumped on the floor, fighting against everything to remain conscious without submitting to the lethal power brewing within me.

He pinned my arms against the wall, hovering over me, "Finally some privacy – without that Godric or Salazar or any of those silly girls to interrupt us. I've worked so hard… you don't know how long I've worked for my, my reward."

He was using his own weight to pin me down now, as one hand caressed the side of my face before trailing southward for other ventures. My eyes closed shut. This wasn't happening, how could he? Why would he do something like this? True, the Seer had always been rough, however…

"I'd forgive you," I whimpered, too tired from my own private battle to try and fight him off. Though my eyes were closed, I could feel his head begin to close the distance between us, coming closer… closer.

"Enough," I heard a familiar voice command, and daringly I opened my eyes to see Gennie, and Tibbs and Salazar trailing not far behind her. Brogan's head turned swiftly, greasy tendrils of hair smacked my face, as he still used his own weight to press me down.

"I thought when Tibbs cursed your door, you would have taken the hint," Salazar glared, brandishing his wand, "But, surprise, surprise, such subtleties are lost on you."

Gennie's own wand was out, and she was muttering a spell, but Brogan quickly blocked it. He was raising his wand again, he was muttering a spell, and he was going to hurt them… Merlin Tibbs and Gennie were only eleven, they shouldn't be here…

There was a large roar, an explosion of yellow light, and immediately I knew it was me who'd done it. Heavy as he was, my spell threw Brogan in the air, back, back away from me, until his body hit the opposite wall of the narrow hallway with a loud, sickening thud, before his body slumped to the ground with a crunch.

I had submitted to the power within me, let it take control. And it felt so good, so relieving to have expelled it, to have it gone. But I looked upon Brogan's body, blue eyes in horror.

He wasn't moving.

"Merlin," I whispered under my breath as I crawled across the hall, too tired to stand. A small hand of warning rested on my shoulder – Gennie's – but I wouldn't be deterred. I had to know, had to find out. Turning the bloody body over on its back as best I could, I shakily reached out towards him, placing my index and middle fingers where his jaw met his neck, feeling for a pulse, waiting, waiting.

"Dead," Salazar muttered after waving his wand over the body, his wand releasing a strange gray light, as it checked to see if Brogan was alive, just like I was.

"No!" I yelled, refusing to be pulled away from the bloodied body. I hadn't meant for this to happen, really I hadn't. I was going to forgive him, pardon him of his cruel deeds against me, and I had meant that. But when he had raised his wands against my friends, I couldn't… I wouldn't let it happen… I had murdered.

I had won the fight against Brogan, but I had lost the battle within myself.

* * *

**One-Thousand Words From Salazar:**

Helga is a dear friend of mine, of that I am certain. I also know that I will never understand her. What in Merlin's name was she doing crying over the body of a man who would have done anything to have his way with her? Maybe it was a woman thing; maybe it was true about women being the weaker gender.

I'd managed to use a spell Rowena had been working on, a "patronus". A snake slithered out of my wand, carrying with it a message to Tibbs, who was supposed to be patrolling the area around Brogan's room. The message ordered Tibbs to curse Brogan's door shut, for that was the most likely place the greasy-haired fiend would go. Never was one for originality, and it was almost my duty to use this weakness against him.

I ran into Gennie on the way, which was not my intention, as I was hoping she'd give up on trying to help fight, but she continued to persevere. So the three of us had joined up, for there was power in numbers, and tracked Brogan and Helga down.

"Deal with her," I said to Gennie, gesturing to the obviously distressed Helga. I had no patience for this display of weakness; I refused to see my friend like this. Besides, there were other things to be done.

"Reverse the curse on this door," I said to Tibbs in a commanding tone. He nodded, frizzy brown hair falling into his face as he did so, muttering a spell. The doorknob glowed for a moment and as soon as the light faded away I kicked open the door.

"Watch my back," I hissed at him. I didn't expect greatness from Brogan, but I was wary of him, even posthumously. He could have foreseen this event. It was possible that he had set up some sort of traps for intruders. In a sick way, I even kind of hoped he did. Come on, Brogan, humor me.

I casted a detector spell upon the room, it ought to detect most common jinxes and so on used upon intruders.

Nothing.

What was the point of being a Seer if Brogan wasn't going to use his power? Impractical really. Lowering my wand, I scoured the gray-themed room, looking for anything of any interest.

There was a pile of correspondences on the rusty old bureau, and upon perusal I saw that they were an exchange between Brogan and Lord Gryffindor. I see Helga's name mentioned several times, but presently I am too disgusted to read further, and so I just folded them up and put them in my bag for later examining.

"Blimey," Tibbs exclaimed in a hushed tone, brown eyes filled with awe, he turned towards me, "I think this is his dream journal, Sal – some of these are accurate, too," he continued to flip the pages of the scroll roughly, and I winced, "Hah, would you take a look at this?"

I approached him, looking over the younger boy's shoulder, pushing his frizzy brown ponytail to the side. I would have to talk him into doing something about that; really it was annoying, especially when someone was trying to read.

But what was on the page wasn't meant for reading at all – it was a diagram, of a castle of sorts. Very intricate really, with notes all over the margins, as if most of his visions had been about the castle.

Was this where the Council was held? Lord Gryffindor's Manor, or Muggle Manor? Or perhaps it was a map of the Hufflepuff home?

Flipping through the pages, I saw one word underlined towards the beginning of the section of diagrams.

_**School **_

Now that was disappointing. How would a diagram of a school help me? With a sigh, I easily pried the journal from Tibbs's hands, and also put it into my bag.

"We'll look at this later," I told him, knowing that the use of the word 'we' would satisfy him for now. Besides, we still had a member to rescue, Godric, and we had to get out of this Merlin-forsaken place we had called home for two years.

Back in the hallway, I was pleased to see Helga was now standing, though leaning on the smaller Gennie for support. It was better than before, but I knew she would only be a liability were we to take on Elswyth, or Lord Gryffindor, or both.

"You can't fight anyone like that," I observed, "You'll only serve to further hurt yourself. Tibbs can escort you to the stables; the two of you can prepare horses there and wait for Godric and I to arrive."

"I must fight," blue eyes glared, and I saw the same power that had just taken the life of Brogan begin to form once more. I would have liked to further study this strange and potent power Helga possessed, but not now, and especially not when used against me.

"Don't say I didn't warn you against it," if anything else happened to her, Helmfried would have my head. He might have been a non-magical, and therefore of little consequence, but he still threw a mean left hook.

"And what of my fate?" queried Gennie. I sighed. She was not the duelist that Tibbs surprisingly was, and she didn't have random quarries of power hidden in her, like Helga. Gennie was determined and brave, and that was very nice and all, but when not backed by talent, bravery was foolery.

"You're coming too," Helga decided, giving me a warning look. I would have said something, but closed my mouth, thinking better of it. Perhaps the young rowdy Gryffindor could be of some use; after all, she knew the castle best. She could lead us to where Salencia said Godric was detained.

We didn't have to be heroes, we didn't have to rescue the friend and take down the villain all in one shot. If we could just get Godric out, that would be enough.

* * *

**One-Thousand Words From Rowena:**

Now, normally I detest riding on horseback, I prefer flying in my Animagus form of an eagle instead. But tonight I think it was for the best, as my mind was going a league a moment, and it was already difficult enough navigating a flight with a bird's brain, let alone with all this emotion.

He'd kissed me back. Despite all of my doubts, he had reciprocated my feelings. The world was good after all. Allric and I passed by the guards with no trouble, and had been riding for several hours now in the grassy plains. The drizzling rain felt wonderfully refreshing on my face, a sign of wonderful, new beginnings, I was sure. Brown braid flying out behind me, I grinned happily at the raven-haired Allric as we rode on. I wanted to tell Helga of my good news, and I would as soon as she got back from helping her brother and my father – I even wanted to tell my sister, Adela Hufflepuff Tate, as soon as I saw her.

But something was wrong. I could see it from the look on his face, from the way he kept looking behind us. Cautiously, I took a look back too.

"It appears we're being followed," Allric called out to me. No kidding.

I bit at my lip, which I always do when I'm nervous. There were two of them, both on horses, and they took no trouble to hide from us. I knew what I must do.

"Here," I said, riding closer to him, holding out my reins, "Take these, I'm going to… to change and see who those people are."

Allric shook his head, elegant ebony curls falling into his eyes, "Use magic without any cover? What if they're non-magicals? What if they're Lord Gryffindor's men, Courtenay probably told Gryffindor and the rest that you can transform into an eagle."

But I remained staunch, stating rather logically, "If they're non-magicals, I can magick them to forget, and if they're Gryffindor's lackies, then they already know that it's us they're chasing, anyway, and pretending like they don't know won't help us any."

Allric, who had been raised in a rather sheltered life, and without any sisters to speak of, gaped at me. I suppose he was unused to a woman making decisions for her self, and for others, even after knowing Helga, Melinda, Gennnie, Elswyth, and I for so long. I surmised that he probably thought it was one thing for us to be making decisions within the safety of a castle, quite another when a woman was in a field on horseback, being chased by who-knows-who.

Well, I always said it was important to take advantage of every learning opportunity to come your way. After all, we never stopped learning, right? That was the beauty in knowledge- it was endless. Allric ought to know that women are more than mere vessels for carrying sons.

Almost like the sky. Now I was an eagle, hovering high above Allric's head as he chased after my distressed horse. My feathers were plain brown, like my hair, but my claws were a magnificent shade of raven. Raven claws. I liked the sound of it. Rowena Raven-Claw – I liked it.

What was I up here for again? Yes, yes, to go see who those strangers were. It was so hard, thinking straight with this brain. I remember a human brain being so much bigger than the one I had now… or at least, I think it was. I can't be quite sure.

There are two riders, and they seem to be tense, I can sense their fear all the way up in the sky I fly in. I think I recognize the female. She is leaning forward on her stallion, her head is covered with an emerald traveling cloak, but long, brunette curls fly out behind her. She looks up at the sky, but I do not think she sees me. Her eyes match the color of her cloak.

Next to her, on a slightly smaller horse, is a male. He is several years older than the female. He is of lanky build, but rides with a confident air. His hair is unruly and a bright shade of red. He has spots all across his face, especially on his cheeks and nose. I remember them to be called freckles.

I recalled that there was supposed to be one more in their party. One with long, yellow hair, like corn. A sturdy, strong girl, who also ought to have been on a horse of her own. But I see no female, and there is no horse to speak of. In fact, there is no sign that there was ever a third member of their party at all.

I am distressed. For though there are two, and have always been two trailing after my companion and I – who has managed to gain control of both horses – for some reason, my heart tells me that someone is missing. But from my view in the sky, I see no one else for miles upon miles. Something is wrong.

I dive down in the air, swiftly, swiftly, until I am only one foot over the ground. There is no time to lose, and I know I must change back into my human form, which is more capable of organizing this new information, and all of these strange emotions.

I am human again, several yards ahead of Melinda and Raedan. Allric turns to look back at me, and I motion to him to come over with the horses. My heart beats quickly as Melinda and Raedan slow their horses down in front of me. They wear nigh identical solemn expressions upon their faces, and all the happiness that I had felt from before drains out of me, leaving one plain, pale young girl standing in the grass.

Once I have acclimated back to the human mouth, rather than my eagle beak, I speak, "What's happened? Where is Helga?"

* * *

**One-Thousand Words From Godric:**

It was madness. One moment I was standing outside of Helga's room, feeling particularly embarrassed, then darkness – and now magically restrained, sitting on the floor of my Aunt Esma's bedroom, next to said restrained aunt and Uncle Thomasyn, who was a quiet sort of man. Father still hadn't gotten Gennie yet, Merlin was I proud of that girl.

"It's for your own good, Ricky dear," chimed Elswyth, our designated guard. I stuck my tongue out at her and made a disgusted face, as I could do little else. I hated the name Ricky, and being told that things were for my own good. Elswyth continued to fiddle with her hair, sitting in robes so tight, I wondered how she breathed.

I wondered where my friends were – hopefully they were all alright, and Gennie was with them. I wasn't worried for Allric, Melinda or Salazar, they were the most self-sufficient of all of us, especially Salazar. But there was of course Rowena, Tibbs, Raedan and Helga to worry about. Helga. A wave of anger flashed over me, I hope that Brogan hasn't gotten to her. He lays one greasy little fingertip on her and I swear that I would seriously kill him. And I was rarely serious about anything.

I felt such disgust for myself, knowing I was being used as bait. I always knew that my father wanted control over Merlin's Circle, in order to use us to do his bidding. I also knew that that would never happen. He'd bought off Elswyth and her family by promising her me, and he'd convinced Brogan by promising Helga, but the rest were not as easily won over. Melinda had apparently surprised her family by denouncing them when the plan was merely hinted to her. I must admit, I was surprised by that too, but good for her!

It had been obvious from the start that Raedan, Allric, Tibbs, Rowena, and Helga would never join him, as all their families were smart and opposed my father. And obviously they would be loyal to their families.

That left Salazar, who was only loyal to himself. And Helga, Rowena, and I. At least I hoped so – know I knew it, how silly of me to lose confidence in my best friend!

BANG!

There was purple haze, and small shrieks. There were pixies all over the room, flying amuck and causing general chaos. I saw that there were already flocks of them in the hall, for the door had been knocked down. It had taken Elswyth down with it. And on the other side stood Tibbs, Gennie, Helga, and Salazar. See, I knew he would come back.

"Now that," Salazar said to the others, "Takes style."

I grinned at my friends, who ran into the room, barely caring if they stepped on the door or Elswyth for that matter.

"Learning from me, I see, Sal?" I grinned at my friend as he released me from my magical wand, "Hate to say it, but I'm wandless, mate."

Tibbs was already checking Elswyth for any extra wands, as Gennie embraced her parents.

"You're a brave girl, Gennie," Aunt Esma told my cousin, I grinned.

"You'll have to get away from here, obviously," Salazar exclaimed to them, "Far, and as fast as you can, until you're out of the bounds of Gryffindor territory, and can apparate. It's the only way."

Uncle Thomasyn shook his head, stroking his beard, "We can't do that, young man. We Gryffindors are of a proud stock, and I shall not allow my brother to usurp power over my family land without a fight."

Salazar looked from me to my uncle, and I knew my uncle might as well have been speaking a different language.

"I'll help you Daddy, if we are to fight!" Gennie exclaimed eagerly, hugging her father.

My uncle smiled silently, embracing Gennie, "I'm sure you will."

"Wands," Tibbs exclaimed, tossing back my wand, as well as the wands of my aunt and uncle.

I noticed that Helga had not yet spoken, and instead was leaning against the wall, looking somber and weary.

"What happened to Helga?" I asked Salazar quietly, immediately thinking of Brogan.

"Later, mate, I promise," Salazar said, pushing me away, "We ought to go, before the pixies disappear and Lord Gryffindor finds out."

I nodded, feeling like a horrible coward for not confronting my father, but wanting to escort my friends out of here get them safe. They didn't know the secret passageways, like I did. With one last handshake to my uncle, a quick kiss to my aunt, and a very long hug with my favorite little cousin, Gennie, I gave them one confident smile before I followed Salazar out the door.

Minutes later I mounted my horse and saw that Helga was much too weak to travel alone. If I couldn't protect her before, I had to protect her now.

"Come," I said warmly, reaching a strong arm out but she refused.

"What everyone seem to think," Helga muttered darkly as she sat on her own mount, "Is that I am a child to look after. But I am the gravest danger to myself. You can't protect against me."

I gave Salazar a confused look, but he said nothing.

And so the four of us rode on. Far off, past the limits of my home, further than I had ever been from home before. I had expected feel emancipated.

After all, my friends were free.

But as I took one glance back, I did not feel free. And I knew I wouldn't until I had avenged my friends and my father was brought down. I had to return to confront my father. I would bring justice to him if justice was too afraid to come on its own. I almost hoped that my aunt and uncle would fail at defeating him, in the greedy hopes that I could bring him down myself.

Only then, I knew, would I be free of these chains that bind.


End file.
